Love Is Not Time's Fool
by bjames238
Summary: Sequel to Fairy Godmother about love and overcoming obstacles. Not just between Elena and Stefan but between Elena and her friends and family. An old friend returns more may show up and the citizens of Mystic Falls will have another crisis to deal with.
1. Prologue: Familial Bliss

Fairy Godmother: The Sequel

Author's note: So...here it is: The Sequel to my first Vampire Diaries fic: Fairy Godmother. Takes place about four months after Fairy Godmother ended. Cannon's the same...couples, everything. Since The Descent aired (which, fyi was amazing except for the lack of more Stefan/Elena scenes) we'll just say that Damon took off after he staked Rose and the others never heard from him since. With that said, this sequel is about love and overcoming obstacles that try to get in the way of that love. And not just between Elena and Stefan...but between Elena and her friends and family. An old friend returns...more may show up too...and the citizens of Mystic Falls will have another crisis to deal with.

I've got five chapters done so far but I'm still going...I'll probably upload one chapter a day. :)

P.S...I'm currently writing a one-shot of sorts within this cannon about them (Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and Tyler) graduating college. It'll take place in Elena's fourth month of pregnancy in Chapter 5 of Fairy Godmother before she goes on bedrest so look for it soon. :)

**Love Is Not Time's Fool**

Prologue: Familial Bliss

Elena yawned, descending the stairs of the Salvatore Boarding House she and her husband lived in with their four-month-old daughter. She slid the baby monitor she held in her back jeans pocket. She yawned again, pulling up the sleeves of her blue long sleeve shirt, brushing a few wisps of hair out of her face.

"Did you get her down?" Stefan appeared at the top of the stairs, a white towel wrapped around his waist. With another towel he dried his hair.

"Yep," Elena sighed, "Maybe she'll actually sleep for a couple of hours so I can get the dishes done."

"Let me get dressed and I'll help you," Stefan said.

"Sure, I'll just get them started," Elena nodded. He disappeared back up the stairs.

She made her way to the kitchen, grabbing the coffee cup she'd used earlier that morning off the island and went over by the sink. She pulled the baby monitor out of her pocket and set it on the island. She started clearing the sink, seperating everything as she usually did. Glasses, silverware, bowls, plates, pots and pans . . . then she filled up the sink with soap and water.

She started with the glasses, putting them in the soapy water. She washed a couple, rinsing them, and letting them sit in the drip dry basket on the counter next to the sink. Then she picked up a coffee mug out of the water but it slipped and fell back in . . . with a crash she heard it shatter.

"Damnit!" She cursed, reaching in the water to pick up the pieces. "Ow!" She cried as she felt ceramic slice the side of her wrist. She pulled her hand back. Before she even got her whole hand out of the water the whole sink was red with blood. Pain shot up her arm and then it turned numb.

The moment she saw the blood in the sink she cried out, "Stefan!"

He was by her side in not even a minute―dressed, even. "What happened?"

"I broke a mug and it cut me," She felt the blood drip down her arm.

He grabbed the dish towel, pushing on the wound. He picked it up to look at the damage, the dish towel full of blood already after only a few seconds. "This is really bad. I think you knicked an artery." He pushed the towel on the wound again.

"I can't even feel it now," Elena told him.

"You probably knicked a nerve too," Stefan sighed.

"Should we go to the hospital?" Elena suggested.

Stefan looked in her eyes, "Honestly, honey, I don't think I oculd get you there fast enough . . . . it's bleeding to much."

"I do kinda feel dizzy . . ." She swayed.

"Whoa..." Stefan caught her. He froze for a second, thinking. Then he bit the inside of his wrist. "You'll have to drink my blood, it's the only way." Elena knew that he knew she wouldn't like that, but she saw the look in his eyes and could see his confliction as well.

She sent him a visual look that said 'I trust you'. He nodded, putting his wrist against her lips. She sucked the blood, feeling the copper tasting liquid flow down her throat. The numbness in her wrist turned to pain and then . . . it was gone. She let go of his wrist. He picked up the washcloth . . . the cut and blood were completely gone.

Stefan kissed her wrist, pulling her into a hug. She leaned into him, sighing. He kissed the top of her wrist. "How do you feel?"

"A little lighheaded . . . ugh and now my head's killing me," She scrunched her face.

"Why don't you go lie down and take a nap? I'll get you some aspirin and finish the dishes," He kissed her again. She nodded, hugging him for a moment more before trudging up the stairs.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Later on she woke up to the sound of a baby crying―Gabby. She was about to get up to go get her when she heard Stefan's voice over the baby monitor they always kept in their room. "Ssh...it's okay. Daddy's here..."

Elena smiled, picking up Stefan's pillow and hugging it. Stefan was always so good with her.

Gabby was still crying. "What's the matter, huh?" Stefan was saying. "Do you need a diaper change?" She heard the rustle of a diaper. "Nope...Hungry? No it hasn't been more than twenty minutes since we last fed you, remember?"

Elena chuckled. She loved how one minute Stefan spoke in a baby talk voice and the next he talked to Gabby like she was an adult.

"Hmm...what's the fuss, little one?" Stefan said. "Should we try the rock 'n walk?" After a few minutes Gabby was quiet. "There we go. That's Daddy's good girl." His voice disappeared for a few seconds and then she heard him whisper outside their bedroom door. "Should we go see how Mommy's doing?" She turned to face away from the door.

The door opened and she quickly shut her eyes. She heard him walked toward the bed and around to his side. She felt a shifting on the bed and inhaled the milky baby smell. A tiny fist hit her collarbone and she smiled. She opened her eyes, face to face with a smily Gabrielle. Her arms wrapped around the tiny body and hugged her. She looked up at Stefan, who was also smiling.

"Hi," He lay down on the bed next to his girls, his arm reaching down between them to hold his wife's hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Better..." Elena sighed. "Still a little groggy. Better now that you and Gabby are here." He leaned over and kissed her lips. "How long was I out?"

"Just a couple hours," Stefan shrugged. "Jenna called. They can't make it for dinner tomorrow because Zoe has a concert at school."

"Okay," Elena idly watch Gabby play with her mother's fingers. "Guess its just the three of us then."

"Yep," Stefansaid.

They were quiet for a bit, just staring at their daughter. Elena watched Stefan's eyelids grow heavy until they were close. He was asleep. Elena smiled, sitting up. She picked Gabby up, holding her in the crook of her arm.

She stood up and got off the bed, careful not to wake her husband. Together she and Gabby went downstairs. "You tired your daddy out, Gabs." The baby cooed, staring up into Elena's eyes. "What should we do, huh? Should we see what's on tv?"

Elena went into the living room, setting Gabby down in the playpen they had set up in the corner. The baby started moving about, her tiny hands reaching for the toys and stuffed animals around her.

Elena picked up the remote off the cofee table, switching on the tv. It turned on and Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic appeared, bickering as usual. _Castle _was on. She smiled―it was one of her favorite shows.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

A crash, a baby cry, and a feminine scream disturbed Stefan from his sleep. In an instant he used his vampire speed and raced downstairs. "Elena!"  
The scene in the living room broke his heart. Gabby was crying furiously in her play pen. The living room was a mess―everything out of place and broken. And then it hit his senses―blood.

Elena's blood . . .

The wooden coffee table in the middle of the living room was in shards, Elena laying in the middle of it. There was blood _everywhere_.

She was still conscious―barely―crying uncontrollably. Pain and fear were radiating off her in waves. He heard shuffling in the hall. He gave Elena a look of "I'll come back for you" and followed the noise down the hall. Anger bared in his teeth when he saw his older brother fighting with a male vampire.

"Damon!" He shouted, angry.

Damon continued to fight the vampire but looked over at his brother, "Hello little brother. Long time no see!"

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 1: Choices

Love Is Not Time's Fool

A.N. Oh, I forgot to mention in the prologue where the title 'Love Is Not Time's Fool' came from. Hmmm...can anyone guess?

Chapter One: Choices

"Damon!" Stefan shouted, angry.

Damon continued to fight the vampire but looked over at his brother. "Hello little brother. Long time no see!"

"Damnit, Damon!" Stefan cursed.

"What?" Damon said.

Stefan raced back to Elena's side. She wasn't doing so good. Blood seemed to seep out of every part of her body. "Stefan . . . I l-love you . . ."

"No!" Stefan cried, biting the inside of his wrist. She wasn't going to die. No . . .

"T-take care of G-Gabby . . ." She whispered . . . and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she was still.

"NO!" He shook her. Her heart wasn't beating . . . she was gone. He didn't make it to her in time . . . not even his blood would save her . . .

Blood . . . then he remembered.

She already had his blood in her system . .. she would wake up a vampire.

Damon entered the room, shaking off his clothes. "Whew . . . that vampire's dead n―Oh." The older vampire looked up, seeing Stefan holding his dead wife. "I'm so sorry . . ."

Stefan's entire body was trembling as he held Elena. They'd never talked about what they would do if this happened to her. He heard Gabby cry and scream and he knew he had to get her out of there. He looked to Damon, his words stumbling. "I-I need you to call C-Caroline . . ."

"Vampire Barbie's still around?" Damon said.

"C-Call her," Stefan forced out. "I need . . . I need . . . I need to take care of her . . ."

Damon nodded, picked up a cell phone off the table behind him. Stefan's cell phone. He left the room.

With Damon gone, the floodgates broke loose. Stefan buried his face in her neck, sobbing uncontrollably. "Elena . . ."

He picked her up, cringing at the sick wet noise as he pulled her off the broken wooden shards she'd been impaled on. He trudged up the stairs, down the hall, to their bathroom. He flipped on the light, gently setting her body on the cold tile floor.

He started a bath . . . and began to undress her. He peeled layer after layer off, tossing the bloody clothes in the garbage. He took off her prized vervain necklace and put it on her bedside table in their room. He went back into the bathroom and picked her up, setting her in the bath . . . and began to clean her. He didn't want her to wake up how she'd . . . died . . .

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

An hour later just as Stefan was finished dressing her in a clean set of pajamas he heard the door open downstairs. He settled her on her side of the bed, kissed her on the cheek, and covered her up.

He heard Damon and Caroline downstairs. Damon was explain what was happening, Caroline was crying and yelling at Damon, Gabby was crying, then he heard Damon crash into something.

Seconds later his and Elena's bedroom door flew open revealing the blonde vampire holding Gabby in her arms.

"Stefan . . ." Her words faltered, her gaze on Elena. "Oh my god . . . Elena . . ."

"C-Caroline . . ." Stefan stood up.

"Oh my god . . ." Caroline said again. She tried to envelope him in a hug but he pushed away.

"Caroline, I need you to take Gabrielle," Stefan held on to her shoulders. "Caroline . . . I need you to get the baby out of here."

"D-Damon told me what happened . . . _why is Damon here_?" Caroline, despite being a vampire, was still her emotional self.

"It was an accident," Stefan said. "There was another vampire, I'm not even sure . . ." He took an unneeded breath. "The point is I need you to get Gabrielle away from the house. And keep the others away until I say so. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

Caroline nodded. Then it clicked... "Wait, is Elena a va―"

"Yes," Stefan sighed, nodding.

"Oh my god . . ." Caroline gasped.

"Take Gabby, her things are in the nursery," Stefan said again. "I will call you later. Okay?" She nodded, not moving. "Caroline!"

"Yes..." She snapped out of it, taking Gabby out of the room to set about her task.

Once Caroline was gone, Stefan breathed, running his hands through his hair. He looked over at Elena. She looked like she was just sleeping. If only . . .

He didn't want to leave her alone but he needed to know what was going on. He used his vampire speed to go downstairs and found...

Damon was cleaning.

Even when they were alive, Damon Salvatore never cleaned a day in his life.

The shards of wooden table and blood were gone. The living room was back the way it was . . .it looked like nothing happened.

When their eyes met Stefan saw something he'd never seen in his older brother's eyes . . . compassion.

"I'm so sorry, Stefan . . . I never meant for this to happen . . ."

Stefan sank down on the stairs, running his hands through his hair again. "Why are you here?"

"It's a long story . . ." Damon started, sighing.

Stefan shrugged, "I've got nothing but time."

But . . ."

"No," Stefan shook his head. "You _disappear_ and leave us to fight Klaus . . . and you have the _balls_ to show up _five years later_ and get my wife_ killed_!"

"Stefan . . ."

Stefan stood up, rage seething in his voice. "ELENA IS DEAD, DAMON!"

"I know!" Damon shouted back, sinking to the ground. "I'm so sorry . . . I never meant . . . no one was supposed to get hurt . . . especially her . . . not after . . . not after . . . Rose . . ."

"I hope killing you is the first thing she does," Stefan spat.

Damon looked up at his words, surprised. "She's a vampire . . ."

_"__Yes_," Stefan's teeth were ground. He expected his brother to have some retort to that . . . but the other vampire said nothing, except―

"I'm sorry . . ." Damon whispered.

"It's not me you need to apologize to," Stefan shrugged. "Now . . . tell me what the fuck is going on."

Damon was about to speak when Stefan's ears picked up a noise upstairs. He sped upstairs to their room. The bed was empty. Where was she?

He heard crying and turned to the corner. She was huddled in the corner, bawling, her knees drawn to her chin.

"Honey . . ." He knelt down beside her, pulling her into a hug. He kissed the top of her forehead.

"I had this aweful nightmare, Stefan," She sobbed. "It felt so real . . ."

He sighed, pulling back to face her. He kissed her, looking in her eyes. She stopped crying, just staring at him.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?"

He kissed her again, sighing. "I'm sorry, Elena . . ."

"No . . ." She sobbed, pounding on his chest. "No . . ."

He hugged her tight, feeling her tears soak his shirt. "Ssh . . ." He tried to calm her down. "Elena, honey, we need to talk about this."

"Where's Gabby?" Elena said. "Where is my baby?"

"She's safe," Stefan assured her, trying to sooth her.

"Where is she, Stefan?" Elena said.

Their door opened. Damon stood in the doorway, holding the house phone. "Sorry . . .it's Caroline. She's worried."

Stefan sighed. He hadn't wanted to tell Elena where Gabby was . . .yet. He turned his head. "Tell her that I am handling it and I will call her later. Okay?"

"Got it," Damon nodded, shutting the door behind him.

Stefan turned his attention back to Elena, still holding her close. She was still crying. "Elena . . ." He whispered in her ear, kissing her neck.

"I wasn't ready, Stefan . . ." She whispered. "I'm not . . ."

"I wasn't either," He said. "But . . . it's happening and we need to talk about it."

"I know . . ." She sighed. She crawled onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his chest.

He stood up, holding her up. He dropped her on the bed and lay down beside her, holding her. She stopped crying, nuzzling his neck, sucking on the skin. He smiled but sat up. "Elena, we need to talk."

She groaned in frustration, sitting up also. "Fine." She crossed her arms. "About what?"

"What you're going to do," Stefan said. He'd hoped they'd have had this conversation when she was still alive. "What we're going to do."

She picked up his arm, tracing invisible circles on his bicep. "How long do I have . . . to decide?" Her voice was quiet.

"Not long," He was honest with her. "Four or five hours at the most."

She turned over, picking up her pillow and hugging it. "I hate this." She whined. She threw the pillow across the room, breaking the lamp on her desk. "Stefan . . . I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do . . ."

He sighed, shaking his head. "No." She whined. "I'm sorry, Elena, but I'm not telling you what to decide. If you want this, the decision has to be yours."

"I want Gabby . . ." She sighed, holding her stomach as if her baby was still in her womb.

Again he shook his head, his heart broken. "Honey, you know I can't do that."

"Right . . ." She dropped her arms. "I understand. It's just . . . I haven't been away from her since she was born . . ."

"I'm sorry . . . I know that this is hard," Stefan kissed her.

"I just wanna see my baby . . ." Elena snuggled into him.

"Ssh . . . it's gonna be okay," He held her.

Her voice cracked, "I don't wanna die, Stefan . . . Please . . . I don't want to lose you or Gabby . . ."

"Are you saying you want this?" Stefan said. "Are you sure?"

"Yes . . ." Elena held his hand in hers. She sat up and he did too. She wiped her eyes and looked into his. "Stefan . . . I don't want to die. I want to live . . . forever . . . with you and Gabby . . ."

To Be Continued


	3. Chapter2:Seriously More Repeated History

Chapter Two: Seriously, More Repeated History?

"Are you saying you want this?" Stefan said. "Are you sure?"

"Yes . . ." Elena held his hand in hers. She sat up and he did too. She wiped her eyes and looked into his. "Stefan . . . I don't want to die. I want to live . . . forever . . . with you and Gabby . . ."

"Okay," Stefan nodded, gIf that is what you really want than I will support you." he kissed her. "It won't be easy . . . and it will take all the strength you have."

"When can I see Gabby?" She asked.

"Not until you're in control . . ." He hated to have to tell her this. She sighed, nodding. He knew she understood. It just didn't make it any easier to be away from her baby.

"I don't want to hurt her . . . or anyone Stefan," Her voice was firm.

"I don't want that either," Stefan agreed.

"No Stefan. I _won't_," Elena said. "You have to promise me that you'll stop me. You have to."

He understood. When Caroline had first turned he'd told her that a person's natural habits and personalities were amplified when they became a vampire. As a human, Elena had an extremely kind, giving heart. She loved with all she had and was very protective of those she loved. She'd do anything. As a vampire it seemed she'd even forgoe eternal life to protect the ones she called family―especially her own child.

"Stefan, you _have_ to promise me," She grabbed his shoulders and shook him―she was already very strong and she hadn't had any blood yet. "Or I'm not doing this."

"I-I promise," He nodded. "I do . . . I will."

"You have to . . ." She said again. She sank her head in his neck, wrapping her arms around his waist. She started kissing him. He pulled back―though his body was angry at him for it. "Stefan . . .why do you keep pulling away from me?"

"You need to finish the transition," Stefan's voice was strained. She giggled.

"Oh yeah . . ." She said. "So . . ."

"I'll get you some blood," Stefan said.

"Thanks, babe," She giggled, collapsing on the bed. "I'll be waiting . . ."

He smirked, kissing her briefly before using his vampire speed to race down the stairs, past Damon cleaning in the living room, down to the basement where the blood was held. He grabbed a handfull of blood bags, raced to the kitchen and grabbed two wine glasses, and raced back up the stairs to their bedroom . . . and nearly dropping the blood and the glasses when he got there . . .

There was a trail of clothes leading to their bed. Elena's clothes . . . She lay on the bed completely nude. Stefan gulped. Elena smiled, "Hungry?"

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

The next morning Stefan's nostrils picked up a nasty smell like burning fless . . . "Shit!" He lunged over at the windows and shut the blinds.

He turned back, seeing Elena's flesh begin to heal. They'd forgotten to close the blinds. She was still asleep though. She'd never even noticed.

He pulled on a pair of jeans, a tshirt, and some shoes. He left Elena a note, telling her he was going out and would be back in a bit. He also told her to stay in the house . . . not that she could go anywhere anyway―and to help herself to the blood fridge.

He went around the house, not seeing Damon, and shut all the curtains and blinds. Then, he grabbed the keys to his Jeep, his cellphone, and left. He called everyone and told them to meet at the Lockwoods. Then, he called Damon too and told him he better get his ass over to the Lockwood house and explain or he'd meet the wrong end of a stake.

Ten minutes later he pulled in the Lockwood driveway and saw Damon's blue mustang pull up behind him. Stefan turned the Jeep off, got out, and walked up to the door. He purposely ignored Damon.

"Stefan . . ." Damon tried to say but Stefan ignored him. He knocked on the door and it opened, Tyler standing in the doorway.

"Hey Stefan," Tyler stepped aside to let him in, his expression downcast. Stefan walked in. Damon walked up to the door but Tyler stepped in front of him. "Don't for one second thnk that you are ever welcome here or anywhere near here or my family. You understand?" Tyler grit his teeth.

Stefan expected Damon to mouth off with some comment . . . but instead the dark haired vampire simply nodded. "I understand."

Tyler stared him down, rage very clear on his face. A moment later he stepped aside, the look still on his face. With his head down, Damon walked into the Lockwood house.

Stefan turned back to the inside of the hosue. Caroline walked down the stairs, Gabby on her hip. "Stefan, I've been so worried!"

Gabby smiled when she saw her daddy and reached for him. He took his little girl in his arms and held her tight as Caroline, Tyler, and Damon watched. "It's okay, Daddy's here." Stefan whispered in Gabby's ear.

"The others are already here in the family room," Caroline said. "Gabby just woke up from a nap."

"Go on," Stefan said. "I'll be right there. I just need to have a word with Damon."

Tyler and Caroline nodded, leaving the room hand in hand. Stefan kissed the back of Gabby's head.

"She's yours?" Damon said.

"Yes, this is _my_ daughter," Stefan said.

"Huh," Damon said. "Who would have thought."

"You would have . . . if you'd been here," Stefan told him.

"And Wolfboy and Vampire Barbie?" Damon said.

"Going on four years," Stefan nodded.

"Interesting . . ." Damon's voice was bitter. "I'm guessing he hasn't bit her yet."

"Damon . . . the only reason you are here is to explain to Elena's friends and family exactly why she is at home hiding from the sun. Why she can't be around her own child."

"Stefan?" He turned around. Jenna stood in the doorway. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine, Jenna," His voice cracked. She nodded, shooting an angry glare at Damon before leaving the room again.

"_She_ knows?" Damon said.

"She does," Stefan sighed. "Elena and Alaric told her after Klaus sent a vampire after her and she almost died."

"Oh . . ." Damon said.

Stefan started going into the family room. Gabby grabbed on to the sleeve of his shirt and started chewing on it. Damon followed him―from a distance.

The minute Stefan stepped into the room he felt the sadness from everyone in it. Jenna sat next to Alaric, leaning into his chest. Jeremy sat on the arm next to Bonnie, rubbing her shoulders. Tyler and Caroline stood near the door, still holding hands.

"Stefan . . ." The words died on Bonnie's lips.

"Hi, everyone," Stefan cleared his throat. Gabby started reaching for Bonnie and he handed her over to her Godmother. "I wish we were all here on better circumstances . . ."

"Is it true?" Jeremy choked.

Stefan looked down at the ground, "I'm sorry. I couldn't get to her in time."

"Oh my god . . ." Bonnie leaned in to Jeremy's chest, her hand on Gabby's back. Everyone in the room was quiet. The women were crying, the men teared up while they comforted their wives.

"Why?" Jenna sniffled. Stefan didn't know what to say to her.

"It was my fault . . ." Damon spoke quietly behind him.

All faces instantly went from sadness to anger. "Explain." Bonnie bit out.

"You have to know that when I left . . . I had no intention of coming back here." Damon said.

"You should have stayed gone," Alaric's voice was hoarse.

"Yes, I should have," Damon sighed. "But . . . I didn't."

"What happened?" Stefan said.

"It all goes back to before we were even born," Damon sighed.

"We got rid of Klaus and the Originals," Tyler said.

"Oh . . . this is much worse," Damon told them. He turned to Stefan. "We weren't the first set of brothers in our family to fall in love with the same woman \women. Whatever."

"I'm confused," Caroline said. "Is this about Katherine?"

"Hell no . . ." Damon rolled his eyes. "It's about a woman named Francesca and the two brothers that loved her―Paulo and John Malatesta."

"Who the hell are they?" Jenna said.

"Salvatore ancestors," Damon said.

"More ancestors? Really? Geez, can't people ever stay dead and in the past?" Jeremy shook his head.

"If only," Damon sighed. "The 'legend' goes Paolo and Francesca were having an affair behind John's back."

"Let me guess, it's not a legend," Stefan said. "Were they having an affair?"

"Yes and no," Damon shrugged. "You see, John was crippled with deformities that left him as ugly as a toad. He was a soldier . . . and Italy was at war."

"Wait a minute, when did this take place?" Alaric said.

"The early 1500s," Damon replied.

"That's just years after Katherine became a vampire," Bonnie said.

"Yep," Damon said. "But . . . I don't think she's involved in this. Anyway . . . in order to negotiate peace, John arranged a marriage between himself and the daughter of a Lord of a nearby city...Francesca. He also was conveniently already in love with her. He knew she wouldn't want him if she saw him first . . . so he tricked his dashing brother Paulo to pretend to be him. The marriage happened quickly and the morning after, Francesca found herself married to and in the bed of John. However the problem was that both she and Paulo fell in love with each other at first sight . . ."

"What does this have to do with us?" Stefan said. "With Elena?"

"I'm getting there, little brother," Damon said, "After that, Francesca didn't hide her feelings for her brother in law. It pissed John off. Soon Paulo and Francesca were seeing each other behind John's back."

Stefan didn't much like this story or who was telling it.

"Well . . . John caught them one night in Francesca's bed. John flew into a rage, grabbed a sword, and went to stab Paulo . . . but Francesca took pushed Paulo out of the way and took the sword herself. Then John got Paulo," Damon said. "Soon after . . . John disappeared."

"So...he's dead?" Caroline said.

"Not exactly . . ." Damon rolled his eyes. "He became a vampire. It was then that he found out that Francesca and Paulo had had a child and hidden it from him . . . he searched for the child but never found it. He's been looking ever since so he could end the Malatesta line forever . . . and get revenge on his brother and his wife."

"And you and Stefan are the Malatesta line," Alaric concluded.

"Two points to the teacher," Damon said. "He found me about 4 years ago. I've been running ever since."

"By why come back to Mystic Falls?" Bonnie said.

Damon rolled his eyes, "He tricked me..."

"And now..." Tyler said.

"Now I'm here...and I'm asking for..." He rolled his eyes again. "I need h-help."

"After you skipped out on us and now Elena's a vampire because of you?" Bonnie said.

"I didn't mean for than to happen," Damon was quiet. "I was trying to keep the vampire away from her..."

"Well . . . great job!" Jeremy shook his head.

"Now that we know that..." Stefan said. "What are we going to do about Elena?"

"How is she doing?" Caroline said, remembering what a wreck she'd been when she turned.

"Not well," Stefan sighed. "It's going to be hard for her to be away from Gabby."

They all nodded. All besides Damon know how close Elena was to her to her daughter. And Jenna and Caroline remembered the same feeling their first few months of motherhood.

"I'd hate to sound like my old self," Bonnie sighed, "But we can't let her hurt anyone."

Stefan nodded, "She doesn't want to. In fact before she even drank any blood she made me swear I would stop her if it ever came to that."

"I'll make her a ring in a couple of days," Bonnie said. "But I'll need to talk to her first."

"Understood," Stefan had expected a little uneasiness from her. "The sooner she can be in the sun the sooner she can start getting herself under control."

"And the sooner she can see Gabby," Jenna said. Stefan nodded. The little girl started to fuss in her godmother's arms. Stefan stepped forward and picked her up. She still fussed but relaxed a bit in her father's arms.

"She might be hungry," Caroline said. "She wouldn't eat anything this morning . . ."

He nodded. The baby could probably sense that something was right and she'd never been away from her mother for so long. "Yeah . . . she usually only eats in the morning for Elena . . ." He rocked her up and down, his hand on the back of her head. A phone started ringing and Stefan could feel it vibrate in his pocket. "That's probably her." He used his free hand to dig it out. It was Elena. He answered it.

"Stefan where are you? You've been gone forever..." Elena said. Gabby heard her voice and her ears perked. Her little eyes searched the room but didn't find her mommy. Then . . . she started bawling.

"Sorry, honey. I'll be back soon," Stefan said, trying to rock Gabby to calm her down. Hearing her daughter cry wouldn't do Elena any good.

"Is that Gabby?" Her voice caught in the back of her throat. He could hear the longing in her voice.

"Yeah . . ." Stefan trailed off.

Jenna stood up, going over to him. "Here, let me see if I can get her to eat." She picked up her grand-neice. Jenna and Gabby left the room and the cries quieted.

"I miss her . . ." Elena sighed. "Would you tell her I love her, Stefan? Please?"

"Of course," He assured her. "How are you doing?"

"Meh . . ." She sighed. "I miss you. And I miss my baby. And . . . I've already had like six blood bags and I'm still hungry. And...bored. The kitchen doesn't have any curtains so I can't even get something to eat."

"The bar is in the dining room. Why don't you have some alcohol? It'll help the craving. And . . . you could go on your exercise bike. Burn off some energy."

"Thanks, babe." She said.  
"Just . . . be careful not to break it," He reminded her.

"I will," She said. "I love you, Stefan. You and Gabby . . ."

"We love you too, Elena," Stefan said. They hung up. He sighed. He hated that tone in her voice. It was the same sad tone she'd had when they first met. It had taken months for her to be happy again. He feared how long it would take this time . . .

He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Bonnie. "We're going to help her through this."

He nodded. "I'm going to say goodbye to Gabby and then I should get back home."

They all nodded . . . and he left the room to find Jenna and Gabby.

To Be Continued

A.N. So...there the next chapter. What did you think? Wll Elena be able to control herself? Will she handle being away from Gabrielle? What will the others think about her being a vampire? And hmm...what does this new 'big bad' have to do with Elena? I got the idea for the Paulo, John, Francesca storyline from a website about Italian history. I don't own it...and I don't own the family.

Oh...still no idea where the title "Love Is Not Time's Fool" is from? I'll post it at the beginning of the next chapter. :)


	4. Chapter 3: Incentives

Love Is Not Time's Fool

A.N. So...where does the title come from? Hmm...any Shakespeare fanatics? Well...it's from—drumroll please— Shakespeare's Sonnet #116 :) Anyway, I was bored and decided to update now instead of in the morning like I'd planned. Hope you enjoy, this is my favorite chapter so far :)

Chapter Three: Incentives

The next couple of days inched slowly for Elena. She was banned from any human contact until she learned more control and not seeing Gabby was really hurting her. Gabby, too, knew something was wrong and kept her Aunt Caroline and Uncle Tyler awake 24/7.

Stefan tried to help her but he found her emotional roller coaster to be worse than when she'd been pregnant. And her appetite―for everything―was enormous. When she wasn't sat and missing Gabby she was hungry and lustful...not that he was complaining about the last part...

Only Caroline had been to visit, leaving Gabby at her house with Tyler and Dillion. Damon kept his distance from Elena...they hadn't even spoken at all yet. Truthfully he wished Elena never had to see or think about Damon again. Together Stefan, Damon, and Caroline took turns keeping watch over all the houses in case John or one of his vampire lackeys showed up. So far there had been no other attacks...they they all knew it was only a matter of time.

The night of the third day, Stefan decided to treat Elena to something special as a little incentive for her progress so far. He set it up all day outside while she was in the house. It was a beautiful day which would hopefully continue to be a beautiful night.

Elena kept texting his phone, asking him if he was done yet and what was the surprise. He finished around three in the afternoon, texting Elena to tell her he'd be back at sunset. He went to the Lockwoods to visit with Gabby and run his idea by Caroline and Tyler. They agreed . . . though they were cautious about it. They definitely didn't want Dillion in the house and Stefan agreed, even offering to drop the boy off at Mrs. Lockwood's house.

He spent a couple of hours with Gabby while Tyler was in the basement working on his latest project and Caroline was upstairs working. He held his little girl and played with her and fed her . . . and they even took a nap for about ten minutes. Then they played some more and after a little bit Caroline came down and he left the little girl in the blonde's care.

Just as the sun was setting he walked up to the Boarding House front door. Finding it locked, he used his key to get in. Inside he found Elena sitting in the hall on the floor―in the dark―leaning against the wall. Gabby's baby book lay on her lap as she flipped through the pages.

"Hi, hun," He set his keys in the plate on the table next to the door. He sat down on the floor next to her, setting his hand on her thigh. "How was your day?"

"Boring," She sighed, flipping another page. "When can I see my surprise?"

"After dinner," He told her. He picked up the photo album, standing up. He set the album on a nearby table.

"Stefan I was looking at that," Elena furrowed her brow. "If I can't be near her I at least want to look at her pictures and remember when I _could_ be near her."

"Come on," He held out his hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up and into his arms. He settled his hands on her hips, kissing her. Then he pulled her by the hand, opening the door. She giggled. He lead her outside, stepping on the porch. He reached in his back pocket, pulling out a black silk bandana. The moon shone in the sky.

"What's that for?" She kinked an eyebrow, a sly smile on her lips.

"You'll see..." Stefan covered her eyes with the bandana, tying it behind her head. "Or not I guess..." He chuckled.

Elena giggled, "I thought you said I wasn't getting my surprise until after dinner?"

"Um..." Stefan twirled her around as if they were dancing. "Dinner is _part_ of your surprise." He lead her off the porch, knowing her other vampire senses would kick in and net let her trip or fall.

He lead her around the house to the backyard. Over the years living there, Elena had developed the backyard into a garden of sorts complete with areas to entertain their guests. She'd also had Stefan―with the help of Tyler, Jeremy, and Alaric―plant tall fir trees around the yard as a fence of sorts for privacy.

"Where are we?" Elena said.

The past day he'd dressed it up a bit with lights and lay a padded blanket on the terrace. A picnic basket lay to the side of the blanket, a bottle of champagne and a bottle of blood next to it with two champagne flutes glasses next to that.

"Just stand there for a minute," Stefan whispered in her ear, kissing her neck. "And no peeking."

"Scout's honor," She saluted, giggling.

He shook his head, chuckling, as he walked over to the terrace. It seemed being a vampire brought out the inner-giggly-girl in Elena. He unpacked all the food, popped the top of the champagne bottle, and poured the amber-colored liquid in the flutes.

"Mmmm...it all smells so good," Elena was licking her lips. "I love how being a vampire enhances all your senses..."

He smiled, feeling the first time in days as if everything was going to be okay. Also, he had the feeling that an eternity with Elena would _never_ be boring. He next took two scotch glasses out of the basket and set them down. He picked up the bottle of blood and started unscrewing the cap.

Her nose twitched and he smiling, knowing what her reaction would be next. The cap was completely off the bottle now. "Ooohhh..." Elena purred.

Stefan smirked, pouring the blood in the scotch glasses. He raised one of the blood glasses to his lips and took a drink. A little blood smeared on his top lip. "You can take the blindfold off now..."

Elena had it off before he even finished talking, using her new-found speed to race to his side. She crashed on top of him, kissing him, laughing, and licking the blood of his lip and teeth.

He laughed against her mouth, causing her to giggle harder. She sat up, picking up the other glass and downing the blood in one gulp. She licked her lips. He lay back, his hands behind his head. "You know what I've always loved about you?" He said.

She leaned over and kissed him, then sat up and took a drink of champagne. "What's that?"

"I love this appetite you have . . . for everything," Stefan told her.

She giggled, "Okay..."

"No, really," He sat up. "Even before you were a vampire. You just have this incredible appetite for everything. Food, love, sex..." He pulled her into his arms, kissing her. She giggled. "I can't wait to see how being a vampire has enhanced that."

"Why don't we find out?" She picked up a strawberry from one of the containers, dipping it in the blood that was left in his glass. She crawled on his lap, straddling him. "Open up..." Her voice had a sing-song quality to it. He obliged, smiling. She took a bite of the strawberry and kissed him . . . all the while giggling . . .

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

A few hours later, they lay in each others arms, staring at the stars. Most of the food and all of the blood and champagne had been consumed. Neither were sleepy but rather wide awake.

"Stefan?" Elena said aloud, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Elena?" Stefan answered.

"Are we going to be okay?" She said. "You and me and Gabby? Are we going to get through this?" He'd told her about why Damon was back in Mystic Falls and the vampire that was after all of them.

"I think we will," He told her truthfully. "We survived Klaus and the Originals, didn't we?"

"Yeah . . ." Elena sighed. "But I wasn't a newbie vampire then and none of us had kids either . . . it was just us. Now we have Gabby and Dillion and Zoe to worry about."

"We'll be okay," He told her. She didn't say anything. "Hey. . . look at me." She turned on her stomach, facing him. He picked up her chin. "We will all be fine. Okay? I don't want you to worry about anything but learning to control your new self. Okay?"

"Okay . . ." She sighed, laying down against his chest. He played with her hair, tucking it behind her ears.

"You ready for your next surprise?" Stefan said. He felt it was time. She needed to have something to look forward to . . . something that didn't make it seem like she was being punished for becoming a vampire when it wasn't her fault.

"Definitely . . ." She sighed.

"Okay," He sat up, kissing her. "You wanna help me bring this stuff inside quick so we can go?"

"Go . . ." Elena said. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," He smiled.

"Okay!" She stood up, running back and forth between the house and putting everything away. Together, they finished in three minutes flat. They even changed their clothes in that time to. "Phew!" She laughed. They stood in the hall of the house. "Cleaning is _so_ gonna be a _breeze_ from now on!"

He laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "You are so adorable." He grabbed his keys and together they walked out to the car. They got in and drove off.

"Am I going to like where we're going?" Elena said, watching the scenery go past.

He glanced over at her, smiling. "I'm not saying a word . . ."

She sat back, sighing. They were quiet the rest of the way. When Stefan pulled up in front of a building he stopped the car and turned to her. It was the ice cream shop.

"Are you sure?" She said.

"Are you?" He said. "Do you think you're ready to be around people?"

"Um . . ." She watched the people in the ice cream shop―a shop her and Stefan went to all the time. "Only if you think I am."

"Nope," He shook his head. "_You_ have to be ready. When you look at these people what do you think about?"

She watched the people more. As she focused, she found she could hear what they were saying. She could hear their hearts pump and their blood flow . . . she felt her face change, her teeth growing . . .

"Elena?" He watched her.

His voice calmed her down and she remembered the last few days of him helping her, teaching her how to control the bloodlust. 'Take a deep breath' he'd said. 'Stay calm and think about something else, something that makes you happy'. She took a deep breath, picturing in her mind that adorable laugh Gabby had when she was overtired and how the first time she'd heard it made her heart swell.

She felt her eyes go back to normal and her teeth shrank. She took another deep breath.

"Elena?" Stefan said again, his hand holding hers. "If you're not ready its okay."

She took another deep breath. "No . . . I'm okay. I wanna do this." She sighed. "I need to."

Stefan nodded, squeezing her hand. "Okay." He took the key out of the ignition. They both got out. Stefan took Elena's hand, squeezing it again to let her know he was there for her. They walked across the street and toward the shop. Stefan leaned over, whispering in her ear. "If at any time you feel you can't handle it, just let me know. Okay?"

"Okay . . ." She whispered back, taking a deep breath and still thinking about Gabby's smile. She squeezed Stefan's hand tighter. Stefan pulled open the door and she walked in. He still held on to her hand as they walked up to the counter.

Behind the register was the owner's daughter Cara, who seemed to always be in there when Stefan and Elena were―which was a lot of the time. When Cara saw the couple she smiled. "Hey guys! It's been a while since you've been in."

Stefan wrapped his arm around Elena's shoulder, who nodded. "Y-Yeah . . . I haven't been feeling well."

"Aw . . . what'cha got? The flu?" Cara said.

"Yeah . . . just a nasty bug. But I'm feeling better..." Elena said, trying not to pay attention to the throb of Cara's veins under her skin.. It was so loud . . . and the blood smelled _so_ good . . .

"Elena . . ." Stefan spoke in a tone he knew only she would hear. She blinked, taking a deep breath . . . putting a picture of Gabby in her mind.

"That's good," Cara smiled―totally oblivious. "How's the baby?"

"She's fine," Stefan said. "Staying with relatives until Elena's better."

"Oh . . ." Cara said.

"We'll just take our usual to go . . ." Stefan just wanted to get them out of there before something bad happened.

"Sure thing," Cara smiled. She put their order through and Stefan paid her . . . all the while keeping his eye on Elena. He couldn't help but notice that she was staring at every person's neck. Her breathing was labored. She was shaking and she kept itching her arms.

He put his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it, trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath.

"Hey, are you okay?" Cara was looking at Elena.

"She's fine," Stefan said. "A lot of energy just tires her out . . ." Elena nodded, trying not to look at Cara's neck.

"Oh . . ." Cara said. One of the other works set a bag on the counter. "Well, here's your ice cream."

Stefan grabbed the bag, practically pushing Elena out of the shop. "Thanks, Cara . . ."

"Have a good night!" Cara called after them. "Hope you feel better, Elena!"

Elena wasn't paying attention. She was squeezing Stefan's arms so hard it drew blood through his shirt. Stefan hurried them to the car. He got Elena in the passenger seat, got in the driver's seat, and took off.

Elena was quiet in the passenger seat and she finished her ice cream quickly. About ten minutes in to the drive Stefan reached over and held on to her hand. He felt her relax at his touch. "I am so proud of you." He still watched the road.

She looked over. "Why?"

"I know how much you wanted to attack her―Cara," Stefan said quietly.

"It was so hard, Stefan . . ." She pulled her hand away from his. "I wanted so much just to reach across the counter, grab her and tear at her throat until there was nothing left . . ." Her hands lay on her lap, shaking. He nodded, completely understanding everything she was going through.

"But you didn't," He reminded her.

She nodded. "I couldn't . . . I _can't_. All I can think about is Gabby . . . her adorable smile and how much I wanna be able to tell her one day that I did the right thing―for her."

"You are so amazing, you know that?" Stefan smiled. Her strength was astounding and it never ceased to amaze him...especially now. She was really going to love his next surprise. Five minutes later he pulled into the Lockwood driveway.

"Stefan . . . why are we here?" Elena said

"Your next surprise," He smiled. He turned off the car, turning to her. "The ice cream shop was a test."

She raised her eyebrow. "What?"

"You passed," He said. "I took you to the ice cream shop to see if you could handle being around humans and . . . you passed."

A smile grew on Elena's face―ear to ear. "So . . ."

"I arranged with Tyler and Caroline a, um, supervised visit . . . if that's what you want to call it."

"To see I can be around Tyler?" Elena said.

"Come on, they're expecting us," Stefan got out of the car and went over to her side. He opened the door. "We're hoping that Caroline, Tyler, and I will be enough to prevent something from happening."

Elena nodded, the gears in her brain to starting to form and an elated smile grew on her face. He didn't bring her here to see if she could be around Tyler . . . it was someone else . . .

They walked up to the door, Stefan squeezing her hand for support. She'd been waiting for this for days. She hadn't seen her little girl since before she'd become a vampire.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked.

"I'm fine," She nodded, chuckling. "Jeez, its like I'm meeting her for the first time all over again."

Stefan nodded, "In a way, you are." He raised his hand, knocking on the door. "It's okay if you're not ready."

She took a deep breath, "No I'm ready. I want to see my baby."

"Okay," Stefan nodded.

The door opened, revealing Tyler. "Hi. How are you doing, Elena?"

"Better," Elena said.

"She passed," Stefan said. "I think she's ready."

Tyler nodded, stepping to the side. Stefan stepped into the house. Elena still stood on the porch. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Elena nodded. "Scout's honor."

He sighed, "Come in." Elena nodded, stepping across. She went right back to Stefan's side, taking his hand again. Caroline's in the family room. I'll go get Gabby."

"Thanks again, Tyler." Stefan said.

"Yep," Tyler nodded, going up the stairs.

Stefan and Elena went into the family room where Caroline sat on the recliner. "Hey guys!"

They sat on the couch. Elena heard Gabby giggle upstairs and smiled. Stefan and Caroline smiled too. "You ready, hon?" Stefan turned to her.

"Very much so," Elena nodded.

"You _have_ to let us know if you can't handle it," Caroline emphasized. "At any time."

"Yes," Stefan agreed.

"I understand," Elena said.

"Nobody wants anyone to get hurt," Caroline said. "And we know you don't either."

"I just want to be with my baby," Elena nodded.

"We know you do, honey," Stefan held on to her hand.

"We want you to be with Gabby too," Caroline said.

"Elena, look at me," Stefan said. She did. He put his hands on her shoulder. "This isn't going to be easy, okay? When you become a vampire, all of your emotions are heightened."

"I know, Stefan," Elena said.

"Especially around people you love the most," Caroline said. "With Stefan it's different because he's already a vampire. When I first turned, I had to let Matt go because otherwise I would have hurt him."

"She's right," Stefan said.

"Wait, are you saying I _can't _be with Gabby?" Elena said.

"No," Stefan shook his hand. "We are just saying that we want you to understand that being around Gabby is going to be extra hard for you."

"I understand," Elena nodded.

"Are you sure?" Caroline said.

"Yes," Elena sighed. "Can I just see my baby now?"

"We're just trying to protect her, honey," Stefan said. "And you."

"I know . . ." She sighed.

Caroline turned to Stefan. "Do you really think she's ready?"

"Yes," Stefan nodded. "The longer we keep her away from Gabby, the hard its going to be for her to stay in control."

"I know," Caroline said. She sighed, shouting, "Tyler, you can bring her down now!"

Elena took Stefan's hand, nervous, squeezing it. She heard Tyler coming down the stairs . . .

To Be Continued


	5. Chapter 4: Pins And Needles

Love Is Not Time's Fool

Chapter Four: Pins And Needles

"Are you sure?" Caroline said.

"Yes," Elena sighed. "Can I just see my baby now?"

"We're just trying to protect her, honey," Stefan said. "And you."

"I know . . ." She sighed.

Caroline turned to Stefan. "Do you really think she's ready?"

"Yes," Stefan nodded. "The longer we keep her away from Gabby, the harder its going to be for her to stay in control."

"I know," Caroline said. She sighed, shouting, "Tyler, you can bring her down now!"

Elena took Stefan's hand, nervous, squeezing it. She heard Tyler coming down the stairs . . .

Stefan leaned over and kissed her cheek. Tyler came in the room with Gabby in his arms. The four-month-old lit up when she saw Elena. Elena, too, lit up. Stefan smiled.

"She got really excited when she heard your voice," Tyler laughed.

Elena practically shook with excitement, "My god . . . she's gotten so big . . ."

"Don't ask me how," Caroline said. "She won't eat anything."

"Yeah . . ." Elena sighed. "Usually she only eats for me . . ."

"Ba-ba-ba . . ." Gabby cooed, reaching out her arms and kicking her legs.

"Hi baby . . ." Elena breathed. If her heart were alive, it would be beating furiously at this point.

She held out her arms and Tyler gently set the infant in Elena's arms. Elena inhaled the milky baby smell, sighing. It smelled even better with her enhanced senses. Gabby cooed happily, grabbing and latching on to Elena's arm. "Hi sweetie . . . Mommy missed you so much . . ."

Even though she could sense the tenseness from everyone in the room, she didn't care. When she looked at Gabrielle she didn't feel like a vampire. She could smell Gabby's blood . . . and she didn't think about drinking it in the slightest. Even Tyler's blood . . . nothing. No reaction. She felt Gabby's soft skin on her arm and felt the baby's pulse . . . and all she wanted to do was protect and nurture her baby.

Tears dropped from her eyes onto Gabby's white outfit. Elena smoothed the baby's soft downy hair. The few days without her child had felt like years―hundreds of years even. And now, seeing her again, holding her, shifted everything back into focus.

"Elena, are you alright?" She felt Stefan's hand on her back. Gabby giggled and Elena smiled.

"She's fine," Caroline put her hand on top of Tyler's. They stood up, walking hand in hand out of the room.

Elena turned to Stefan, smiling, tears still cascading down her face. "Thank you . . ." she whispered.

He lay his hand on her thigh, "For what?"

She sighed. Gabby latched on to her finger. "Everything . . ."

He rubbed her back, wiping the tears from her eyes. "That's all I've ever wanted for you." He lay his thumb on her chin, kissing her. "From the day I pulled you out of the water and watched you―always with such a sad face." She chuckled, sniffling. "I knew I wanted to protect you and make you happy and give you a life."

"You did," Elena nodded. "I have been _so_ happy with you and Gabby . . . and being a vampire doesn't change that." She kissed him. "Now we have eternity together . . . and you have no idea how happy that makes me. We can watch Gabby grow up . . . and our grandchildren . . . and their children . . . god I love you . . ." She kissed him again.

He chuckled, "I love you too."

"Um . . . I'm sorry to interupt, guys . . ." Tyler poked his head from the kitchen, a phone in his hands.

Elena wiped her eyes, sniffling. Stefan turned to Tyler. "It's okay . . . what's up?"

"Sheriff Forbes called . . . a body's been found off Highway 10," Tyler sighed. "Throat torn out . . . drained of blood . . ."

Stefan sighed. "Okay. Um . . . does the Council have any leads?"

Tyler shook his head. "There haven't been any vampire attacks for years."

"I'll call Damon . . . its gotta have something to do with the vampire that's after us."

Tyler nodded, leaving the room. Stefan turned to Elena. "Are you going to be okay with her for a minute? I need to talk to Damon."

"Yeah," She nodded, rocking Gabby. "I'll be fine."

He studied her for a moment before nodding. He kissed her and Gabby and left the room, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

When he was gone, Elena looked down at Gabby. Not that she wasn't complaining or anything but she didn't understand why she had no craving at all for Gabby's blood or Tyler's even. At the ice cream shop she'd been about two seconds from lunging across the counter and attacking Cara.

Gabby cooed, staring up at her. It felt like the baby was mapping out her face . . . as if somehow trying to memorize it if she never saw her mother's face.

She felt Caroline sit down next to her. "You're doing great, Elena."

She turned to the blonde, "What was it like for you . . . when you turned?"

"Um . . . it was confusing," Caroline told her. "I didn't really know what was happening to me or why . . . but thats because I hadn't known about vampires before hand."

"Was it hard to be around people?" Elena said.

"Yeah . . . especially Matt," Caroline said. "He was really the only person I was around right away. Well . . . there was the nurse at the hospital . . ."

"What about me and Bonnie?" Elena said.

"Well . . . I could somehow sense the witchiness in Bonnie and I kinda just instinctually wanted to stay away from her. Not that she wanted to be around me . . . And you . . ." Caroline sighed. "I was just really confused about Katherine looking like you and I guess . . . I dunno. You could say I was just really afraid of Katherine . . . and seeing you confused my fear."

Elena nodded, sort of understanding. "Its just weird . . . Stefan took me out in public to test how I'd act around people. . . and I would have killed everyone if it wasn't for him. But then I got here and the minute I saw Gabby and held her all the cravings just . . .went away. Doesn't that make sense?"

"A little," Caroline shrugged. "It's just your personality, Elena."

"That's kinda what Stefan said," Elena nodded.

"I don't really know how to explain it," Caroline said. "I've never been good with words. Bonnie can probably explain it better than I can."

Stefan came in the room with Tyler behind him. "Elena, will you be okay here with Tyler and Caroline? I need to meet Damon and Sheriff Forbes."

"Yeah," Elena nodded.

"I'll be back later to pick you up," Stefan came up to her, kissing her and Gabby. "Thanks, you guys." He said to Tyler and Caroline and left.

Caroline turned to Elena, "Wanna watch a movie?"

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

A couple hours later Tyler gently shook his wife awake. "Tyler?" She said.

"We need to talk," He pulled her off the floor where she, Elena, and Gabby had crashed watching "Under The Tuscan Sun". Elena lay asleep with Gabby curled up against her chest.

Caroline nodded, groggy, and followed him into the kitchen. They sat on the bar stools. "What happened?" She rubbed her eyes.

"Damon called . . ." Tyler whispered. "Their ancestor John attacked at the crime scene they were at."

"My mom . . ." She tensed.

"Is fine," Tyler assured her. "Just a couple bumps and bruises. Some of her deputies didn't make it."

"And Stefan?" Caroline said.

Tyler was about to answer when Elena appeared out of nowhere, Gabby in her arms. "What about Stefan?"

Tyler sighed, "He took the brunt of the attack . . . he's okay but Damon said he was in rough shape..."

"I have to be there," Elena breathed out. "Where is he?"

"Elena . . ." Caroline sighed.

"Don't Elena me," She snapped. "Where is my husband?"

"At the Boarding House," Tyler said. "But Bonnie and Jeremy and Alaric and Jenna and Zoe are all there too."

"I don't care," Elena shook her head. "I need to be there."

"I don't think that's―" Caroline started.

Elena whoosed forward, one arm protecting Gabby, while she pushed Caroline against the refrigerator with the other. "Take me to him!" She held Caroline up in the air.

"Elena . . ." Tyler warned, practically growling. "Put Caroline down and give Gabby to her . . ."

Elena looked over to Tyler, her fangs bared and her eyes red and black. "Take me to Stefan."

"Elena . . ." Caroline grabbed at the hand Elena had around her throat. Even though she was older she couldn't get Elena off of her. "Please . . ."

Gabby started crying at the upset. At the sound, Elena faltered, letting go of Caroline's neck. The blonde vampire fell to the ground. Tyler knelt down at her side, his hand on her back.

They looked up . . . Elena was gone . . . and so was Gabby. They looked at each other.

Uh-oh . . .

To Be Continued


	6. Chapter 5:Trust Issues

Chapter Five: Trust Issues

Elena stopped running, looking around. In her arms, Gabby had fallen asleep. She looked around again. She was in the town square . . . about halfway between the Lockwood house and the Boarding House. She bounced her daughter up and down, hoping she'd stay asleep. She needed to get to Stefan . . .

"Excuse me, miss?"

_Fuck_, she thought to herself, turning. A man was walking toward her.

"Are you okay?" The man said. "You seem lost."

"No," she shook her head, "I'm fine."

He stood next to her, his hand on her wrist. "Are you sure?"

"I'm _fine_," She emphasized, "Let me go."

"I can walk you home," He offered. He was staring in her eyes . . . wait was he trying to _compel _her?

"Get off of me," She said, her voice low. She tuned her ears, trying to find his heartbeat . . . but all she heard was Gabby's. He wasn't human. "Get off of me." She said one more time, trying to walk away. She could probably take him . . . but with Gabby in her arms it was too much of a risk.

"You're going to give me the baby . . ." He was trying to compel her again. Honestly . . . was he turned yesterday? Could he not tell that_ she_ was a _vampire_?

"No," She felt a growl low in her throat. Gabby started crying.

"You must be wearing vervain," He said.

Elena sighed, holding Gabby close. "I said . . . _get off of me_!" She hissed, her teeth bared and her eyes changed. She twisted his shoulder, pushing him away.

"You're a vampire . . ." He said. "But you're supposed to be stuck in that tomb . . ."

"Guess not," She hissed, picking up a stick from off the ground. He lunged at her, baring his own fangs. She held out the stake, covering Gabby with the other arm. The male vampire didn't see and ran right into it. . . right in the heart.

She pushed the dead vampire to the ground, rocking Gabby to get her to stop crying. "Ssshh, it's okay baby girl. Come on, let's go home to Daddy . . ."

She ran, using her extra speed. Two and a half minutes later they were at the boarding house. She sped in the door, past everyone downstairs, and straight up to her and Stefan's room. No one had even seen her. Their door was shut. She stopped just outside of it, her hand on the door.

She stood there a moment more before turning the knob and going through it. Gabby cooed in her sleep. Moonlight shone in the room, cascading over the bed. "Stefan . . ."

Her husband was sprawled in the middle of their bed, still clothed. He wasn't conscious. Cuts, bruises, blood, and vervain burns were all over him.

"Oh Stefan . . ." She went up to the bed and gently sat beside him. She stroked his temple, leaning over to gently kiss him on the lips.

His eyes twitched but didn't open. "Elena . . ." His voice was horrible . . . had his throat been burned too?

"Sshh...don't talk," She touched his lips. "It's going to be okay. You'll be okay."

Gabby started to awaken, fussing. Stefan sniffed the air, his eyes still closed. "G-Gabby's here?"

"Yes," Elena said. "Just go back to sleep. I'll get you some blood."

"I love you . . ." he choked, coughing.

She bent down, kissing him. "I love you to." A few seconds more and he was unconscious again. Elena rocked Gabby in her arms. Not only did Stefan need to eat . . . Gabby did too.

"Elena? When did you get here?" Bonnie walked in the room, a glass of blood in her hands.

"Bonnie . . . hey," Elena stood up, still rocking Gabby. "I just got here, actually."

"With Tyler and Caroline?" Bonnie put the glass down on a table.

Elena sighed. They'd called to warn them she was coming. Didn't they understand that Elena just wanted to be with her husband and daughter? Hadn't she told Caroline she felt no urge to drink anyone's blood?

"Elena . . . can I please hold Gabby?" Bonnie held her arms out. "Please? You can stay with Stefan . . . just let me take Gabby . . ."

"Don't do this," Elena shook her head.

"Please, Elena," Bonnie said.

"Bonnie . . ." Elena warned, backing up.

"Elena, you know what I can do to you," Bonnie said. "Please don't let it come to that."

"I won't hurt her," Elena told her.

"I know you don't want to," Bonnie nodded. "That's why you're going to give her to me. Okay?"

"No!" Elena shouted. "Damnit, Bonnie . . ." Gabby started bawling.

"She's scared, Elena," Bonnie was pleading now.

At this point, Stefan was wide awake but he wasn't strong enough to move.

"I won't hurt her . . ." Elena didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to explain to them that she really had no intention to hurt Gabby or anyone else. "I won't . . ." She suddenly became overcome with emotion. She sank to her knees, holding Gabrielle close to her chest.

Bonnie slowly crept toward, kneeling down next to her while Stefan watchd. He was trying to fight through his injuries but it wasn't working.

Bonnie grabbed Elena's arm and instantly pulled back, her eyes wide.

"Bonnie, what is it?" Stefan tried to sit up.

Bonnie's mouth hung open, "I believe her . . ."

That's when the room got full. It all happened so fast. Damon sped into the room, speedily taking Gabby and giving her to Bonnie before pinning Elena against the wall. Shortly after, Caroline was in the room beside Damon, holding Elena down as well.

A few seconds later, everyone else was in the room, huddled around Bonnie and Gabby.

Somehow, though, Elena managed to push both Damon and Caroline away. They crashed to the floor. Tyler, Jeremy, and Alaric started in on her but Bonnie shouted. "No, don't! Guys . . . get back." They stopped, confused.

"What the hell are you talking about, witch?" Damon snarled.

"She won't hurt anyone," Bonnie told them.

"She attacked Caroline!" Tyler shouted.

"I know," Bonnie sighed, "But she was just wanted to get to Stefan."

"Wait, how did you know that?" Elena said.

"I saw it . . . when I touched you." Bonnie said.

"That still doesn't mean she won't hurt anyone," Damon said.

"Just trust me," Bonnie weaved through everyone to go up to Elena. She handed Gabby back to her mother, who took the baby anxiously in her arms.

"I never trust a witch," Damon sneered. "Especiall a Bennett."

"Damon . . ." Stefan croaked from the bed. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Everyone out," Bonnie said. "Everyone but Elena and Stefan."

Everyone unwillingly filed out . . . Damon being the last to leave―but not before he whispered in Bonnie's ear: "If anything happens its on you." Then he was gone. Bonnie shut the door, picking up the glass of blood again.

"Bonnie . . ."

"Sit," Bonnie cut the new vampire off. Elena sat on the end of the bed. Bonnie went over to the bed, helping Stefan sit up. She put the glass to his lips and he drank it all down. His wounds started to heal. Bonnie put the empty glass on the table next to the bed. She stood up, pacing. Stefan reached for Elena's hand.

"What did you see, Bonnie?" Stefan said, his voice still a bit hoarse.

"You," Bonnie answered. "You and Emily in 1864. You were already a vampire and she told you something. Elena looked back and forth between her husband and her best friend. "She said your heart is pure, even in death . . . and that's why being a vampire is such a curse to you." Stefan nodded.

"What doesn't that have to do with me?" Elena said.

Bonnie turned to Elena. She sat down next to her. "Elena, your heart is just as pure as Stefan's. I can feel it."

"But . . ." Elena said.

Bonnie set her hand atop Stefan and Elena's entwined hands. "I think its why you were drawn to each other. I've had my suspicions before . . . but now I'm sure."

"I don't get it," Elena said, turning to Stefan. "I thought you said you started watching me because I looked like Katherine and you wanted to make sure I wasn't her."

"I'm sure it was," Bonnie said. "He just didn't realize why he was really drawn to you. Your souls are bound, Elena. Your fates are as entwined as your hands."

"How do you know that?" Elena said.  
"Emily's spell book," Bonnie said. "I found it years ago but I just never thought anyone of it. She wrote that she'd never met a soul so pure in life or death."

"She said that about Stefan?" Elena said.

"She did," Stefan nodded.

"And in her journal she wrote that if ever a soul met a soul just as pure as his, nothing could come between them and they would be soulmates. Elena, that's you." Bonnie said.

"That still doesn't explain why she doesn't want to hurt anyone," Stefan said.

"I believe we have little Gabrielle to thank for that," Bonnie smiled.

Stefan nodded, also smiling, "I should have known."

"What?" Elena said.

"The maternal bond you share with Gabrielle," Bonnie said.

"Its stronger than your craving for blood," Stefan said. "It gives you perspective and control over your powers."

"Oh," Elena said. "Well that's . . . convenient."

"Yes it is," Stefan agreed.

"Very much so," Bonnie nodded. "This vampire John guy . . he's bad news. We could use all the help we can get."

"No one else seems to trust me," Elena shook her head, sighing.

"It doesn't matter," Bonnie said.

"They'll get over it," Stefan said.

Gabby started whimpering in Elena's arms. "I think she's hungry. I'll go make her a bottle." She stood up, rocking Gabby.

"I'll come help," Bonnie stood up too, "Help you with everyone else."

Elena nodded. "You just rest, Stefan." She bent down to kiss him. He sighed, nodding, laying back down and going to sleep.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

When Elena and Bonnie got down to the kitchen, Damon was waiting. He was standing next to the island, leaning against it, his arms crossed. Elena turned to Bonnie, "Will you take her for a minute while I make her a bottle?"

"Are you sure?" Bonnie eyed Damon.

"Yes," Elena sighed, "I can take care of myself."

"Okay . . ." Bonnie's eyes were still on Damon as she took Gabby from Elena and left the room with the baby.

Once Bonnie was gone, Elena and Damon stared at each other for over a minute before Elena went about the kitchen making her daughter a bottle.

"Say it," Elena said. She opened the cupboard, pulling down a clean bottle, a liner, and a rubber top. "You know you want to." She went to another cupboard and grabbed the tin of formula.

"Say what?" Damon's voice was low. He was watching her like she was a ticking time bomb. "That I don't trust you not to attack anyone?"

"Sure," Elena put everything on the counter and started making the bottle. "Or you could say what I _know_ you've been thinking about since I became a vampire."

"And what's that?" Damon challenged.

She poured water in the bottle, capped it up, and shook it. "Hmm...I would tell you..." She said. "...but I wouldn't want to be _selfish_." The last word came out as a hiss.

Damon stopped dead in his tracks. _Busted_, Elena smirked. She continued shaking the bottle, taking a pot from the dish rack.

"You remember..." Damon trailed off.

"Of course I do," Elena snapped. She filled the pot with water, put it on the stove, and turned it on. She set the bottle in the pot water. In the blink of an eye, she turned, grabbing Damon by the neck. She choked him, pushing him up in the air. "Did you think I wouldn't? Is that why you wanted to kill me so _eagerly_ upstairs?"

"I―" Damon choked. "H-How are you stronger than me?"

"I dunno," Elena shrugged. "Maybe its all that Petrova blood in my veins. Or maybe...you're just weak!" She bared her fangs.

"But―"

"No...you've done enough talking," Elena said. "Yes...I remember that night after Stefan and you saved me from Elijah. I remember all of it." She squeezed his neck harder. "How you held me necklace, whispered in my ear." She squeezed harder. "Disappeared...but not before erasing my memory and putting my necklace back on!"

"Elena―"

She dropped him and he fell to the ground, clutching his throat. "How does it feel...to be completely helpless." He just stared at her. "I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough to rip your head off and not think a thing of it."

He didn't move off the ground, just watching her. Was that fear she saw in his eyes?

Elena went back to the stove, taking the bottle out of the pot and turning off the burner. "You didn't trust me enough to let me remember." She used the dish towel to dry the bottle off. Then she took the cap off.

Damon was still watching her.

"What did you think would happen ifyou hadn't compelled me to forget?" Elena pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, dripping a few drops on the inside of her wrist. Satisfied with the temperature, she put her sleeve back down and put the cap back on. She set the bottle on the island. "Did you think I'd realize my unrequited feelings for you and leave your _brother_? That I'd do it now?"

Damon didn't know what to say. He stood up, still watching her.

"I thought you knew the answer to that _years_ ago," Elena bent down, opening a drawer. She picked up a fresh blue baby spit-up rag, placing it on her shoulder. "I'm _not_ Katherine. I don't believe in stringing two men along. And, as it is I happen to be married and happy with Stefan and our daughter."

"You felt something . . . for me," Damon finally found his voice. "Before I left, even before . . . the day Rose died . . . you hugged me."

"Maybe I did," Elena shrugged. "Maybe all I felt . . . was care and the love of a brother and friend."

"No . . . it was more," Damon shook his head.

Elena sighed. Why didn't he get it. "You need to get over this. I've told you this once and I'll keep telling you for an eternity: I love Stefan and . . . that's never going to change. I'm sorry you feel something for me, I really am, and I'm sorry you felt you had to compel me to forget something I already knew. Now that its out in the open you need to move on from this. Don't wait for me . . ." She looked at the ground. "Find someone who really loves you . . . or you'll always be alone."

She picked up the bottle off the island, starting to leave the room. She could hear Gabby's cries from the other room.

"What are you going to tell Stefan?" Damon said.

She stopped, turning her head to look at him. "I'm sure he already knows." She pointed to her ear. "But we've already talked about that day you compelled me and . . . he understood. He knows that I don't feel anything for you."

Without another word she left the kitchen to find her daughter.

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 6: Chats And Plans

Love Is Not Time's Fool

Author's Note: Soooooo sorry for the delay in update! Work's been busy and then my computer power chord died so, well . . . anyway, hope you enjoy. I tried to make it a little longer. And hey, who else besides me thought that Stefan and Elena were beyond adorable at the Gilbert lake house in Crying Wolf? Wish there could've been more, but well, at least we got what we got. :)

Chapter Six: Chats And Plans

The rest of the night was fairly uneventful. Elena took Gabby upstairs to the nursery to feed her. She still didn't feel comfortable around the others―her own family. None of them trusted her, she could tell. Not that she could blame them, but still. Besides, after so many days without her it felt good to just have some alone time with her baby. Her and Gabby had spent many a night in the nursery together while Stefan was out hunting . . . and it felt good to somewhat get back to that.

She'd decided to let Stefan rest more before she went back in their room to talk about her conversation with Damon and the vampire that attacked her in the town square. He'd really taken a beating this time. She'd never seen him so hurt . . . and they'd been through a lot together over the years.

Downstairs she heard the others talking; about the new vampire in town, about her and Stefan, about Gabby. She heard Bonnie try to explain to the others about what Emily told Stefan and about Elena being the same way . . . but they weren't listening.

She'd hoped they would understand and she hoped they still would but she couldn't let that stop her from beginning her new life with Stefan and Gabby. And this new vampire that was after them?

To be honest it scared her . . . but she couldn't think about that. She had a husband and daughter to worry about . . . not to mention controlling her cravings.

Gabby was out like a light, now done with the bottle. The bottle rested on Elena's lap next to Gabby while the infant sucked on her pacifier.

Elena stroked Gabby's temple then picked up the bottle and set it on the table next to her. She adjusted so she held Gabby in one arm as she stood up. She walked over to the crib, gently setting the baby in her little bed. Bending over to place a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead, she covered her up. She watched Gabrielle sleep for a moment before switching on the baby monitor and turning to leave the room.

She turned off the light, the Mickey Mouse night light leaving a soft, purple glow in the room. She quietly walked out of the room, leaving the door open just a crack. Next door in her bedroom, she could hear Stefan mumble: "Elena?" He must have heard her in the next room humming to Gabby earlier and walking in the hall now.

She opened their door and peered her head in. He was awake, sitting up, reading 1984 by George Orwell. When he saw her he smiled, setting his book down on his night stand. She, too, smiled, stepping into the room. "How are you feeling?" She crawled onto her side of the bed, sitting next to him but still facing him.

"Better," His voice was still rough but better than before. "Gabs asleep?"

Elena nodded, leaning over to kiss him. "She crashed while I was feeding her. It's been a rough couple of days for her."

He lay his hand on top of her. "For all of us."

"Yeah," Elena sighed. "I have a feeling its going to be that way for awhile."

"Unfortunately," Stefan said, entwining their fingers.

She remembered the day of the carnival, senior year of high school―the day Caroline had turned into a vampire. The next morning, just before dawn, he'd taken her to the top of the ferris wheel and kissed her . . . and her heart did definitely flutter like a normal teenage girl. She remembered feeling so loved in that moment despite the feeling in the pit of her stomach that everything was about to go very wrong. It had . . . but they'd survived. She had the same feeling right now . . . but she didn't know if they'd survive this time.

Elena watched their hands, entwined, holding the others. She sighed again. It was time they talked about it. "Damon confronted me."

"I heard," Stefan's hold on her hand stayed the same.

"You wanna talk about it?" She could usually read him―whether she was a vampire or not―but right now he was unreadable. Was he sad, angry, pissed, jealous, relieved?

"There isn't much to say," Stefan shrugged. "I've known for years now how he felt about you―it's not surprising he'd try again when he returned to Mystic Falls."

"I just wish he'd move on," Elena sighed.

"Me too," Stefan nodded.

They were both quiet, listening to the noises downstairs. No was was really talking . . .mostly pacing.

"Stefan?" Elena said.

"Yes?" Stefan said.

"On my way here with Gabby, there was this vampire . . ." Elena started.

Stefan shook, suddenly on alert, "You're both okay, right?"

"We're fine, Stefan," Elena shrugged. "He wasn't very smart and it was easy to kill him. I just thought you'd wanna know . . ."

"What?" Stefan said.

"He knew who I was," Elena told him. Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Or, who he thought I was. He thought I was Katherine 'cause I'm a vampire. And . . . he knows about Katherine being in the tomb."

"What did he want?" Stefan said.

"Gabby," Elena answered. "He wanted me to give him the baby. I dunno . . . maybe he thought he was 'stealing my snack' or whatever . . . it didn't seem like he knew Gabby was ours."

"And if he thought you were Katherine there'd be no other reason for her to have a child in her arms other than . . ." He trailed off. They both knew what he meant.

"Do you think he's working for that vampire who's after you and Damon?" Elena said.

"He might be," Stefan shrugged. "And you said you killed him, right? So John Malatesta will never know that Gabrielle is ours."

"That would be good," Elena nodded. "I'd have to go all Mama Vampire on him."

Stefan chuckled, "I could definitely see you doing that." Elena laughed too.

"Hey, where's Dillon and Zoe?" Elena wondered aloud.

"Dillon's at Mrs. Lockwood's," Stefan told her. "I took him there earlier before I brought you to see Gabby," Elena nodded, understanding that Tyler and Caroline hadn't wanted their son around a newbie vamp. "And Zoe . . . I think she's here taking a nap in her usual room."

"Oh," Elena said. They'd set up a room in the Boarding House right next to their own for Zoe shortly after she'd been born to be used when her godparents babysat her overnight. Sometimes when they had Dillon over he slept in there too. And then shortly after finding out they were pregnant, Stefan and Elena decided to put Gabby's room on the other side of them. So now they sat in between Zoe and Gabby's rooms.

They both leaned back, resting against the headboard. Elena lay her head on Stefan's chest and they continued to hold hands. It felt normal . . . like things had been before she'd been turned. Actually, before they'd even had Gabrielle. During the pregnancy everything had been so tense and then after they were just trying to get used to being parents . . .

"What'cha thinkin' about?' Stefan said.

"Us," Elena smiled. "This feels nice."

"It does," Stefan agreed.

It wasn't long before they were both asleep.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"And where is Gregor?" A voice echoed across the room. The dozen vampires in attendance in the empty warehouse shrugged. "Is he not here?"

A tall, burly man trudged to the front of the warehouse. His billowy, deep, red cloak swept the floor behind him as he walked and his shoes were soundless. His wrinkly hands were folded behind his back. His silver hair, though styled fairly modern, was ten years out of date. Silver rings littered his fingers. He wore black slacks, a black dress shirt, and a black belt with a silver buckle. Even his socks were black. The only color about the man was his red cloak.

The man's face was disfigured, worn with age, and covered with a black wooden mask that stopped just above his mouth. As he walked, his lackeys quivered with each step. "Did he get lost?"

"I'm sorry, Master Malatesta." A vampire toward the front―a short man with brown hair―spoke. His voice lacked courage. "We lost him."

"How did you manage that, Antonio?" Malatesta challenged.

"He said something about catching a scent and took off," Antonio told him. "Next thing we knew, he was gone."

"Curious," Malatesta paced. "Did you not follow him?"  
"We couldn't find him," Another, Marcus, spoke. "He just disappeared."

"He was a fool," Malatesta lashed, snarling. His fang retracted. The entire room was silent. Malatesta walked up to his red thrown-like chair and sat down, lounging. He watched his brood a few moments, his eyes returning to normal. His voice was soft. "Did you find either of the Salvatore's?"

"No sir," Marcus shook his head. "But we learned the name of the younger Salvatore's wife."

"You did?" Malatesta said.

"Yeah," Antonio nodded. "And get this, boss: she's that girl that Klaus guy was after."

"Really . . ." Malatesta was intrigued. He'd run into the vampire that was one of the Originals a few times over his years as a vampire. He'd heard that Klaus was gone though . . . "So Paolo's descendent snagged a Petrova doppelganger. Interesting. Wasn't she stuck in a tomb, though?"

"Not Katerina, sir," Marcus said. "The new one. Katerina's still stuck in that tomb."

"Oh . . ." Malatesta said. "Hmm..maybe I'll just have to have both doppelgangers for myself . . ." He chuckled. "Killing the last of Francesca and Paolo's descendents . . . and taking the Petrova doppelgangers as my wives . . ." He smiled. "I am beginning to really like it here in Mystic Falls . . ."

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

The day after the attack at the crime scene, Bonnie made Elena a daylight ring. The two were alone in Elena's room with Gabrielle on Elena's lap. Elena sat on the bed. Bonnie stood over by the closed-curtain window, Emily's grimoire in her hand.

"Okay . . ." Bonnie took a deep breath. Elena sat up straight, her pointer finger still held hostage by her daughter's grasp. "You know the drill and you know that I know I can trust you."

Elena nodded obediently.

"But however much I trust you as a witch I still have to go by the facts," Bonnie said.

"I understand," Elena nodded.

"You're a vampire," Bonnie spoke. "However pure your heart is and however strong your bond is with Gabrielle . . . you're still a vampire. You'll always have that urge to kill―just like Caroline and Stefan and Damon and every other vampire out there." Elena nodded. Bonnie held up Elena's wedding ring―a silver banded ring with a blue lapis-lazuli heart that bore the Salvatore crest in the middle that Stefan had found for their wedding―in the hand that didn't have the grimoire. "This ring will shield you from the sun and―" A feature she'd added to Stefan and Caroline's rings in recent years. "―protect you from supernatural harm."

Gabby fidgeted tiredly, leaning against her mother's chest and stomach. Elena stroked the little girl's hair as she listened to Bonnie.

"As you already know, only a witch has the power to spell the ring," Bonnie explained. "And that witch alone has the power to despell it―which I can and will do if you hurt anyone."

Elena nodded, her mind's eye unconsciously flashing with images of her killing someone and Bonnie coming after her. She shuddered. The bond she shared with Bonnie―and even Caroline―ran deeper than sisterhood but they all knew that if push came to shove and _any_ of them attacked an innocent there would be hell to pay. "I understand." Elena said, her voice firm. She thought back to the promise she'd made Stefan make before she'd completed the transition.

Bonnie watched her for a few moments before setting Elena's ring on the end of the bed. Gabby reached for it but Elena held her back. Bonnie went over by the window, drawing the curtain partially open. Light spilled on the ring and Elena instinctually backed away.

Bonnie opened the grimoire, her eyes closed, as she mutter under her breath. When she was done, she opened her eyes, closing the book. "It's done."

"Are you sure?" Elena had to ask even though she knew the answer. She reached over and picked up the ring, returning it to its worn in spot on her ring finger. Bonnie just gave her a look, watching her put it on. Once the ring was on, Bonnie threw the curtain completely open. Light spilled on Elena for the first time in days and she squealed, hiding her face in her hands. Gabby giggled.

The light hurt her eyes from so many days without it but got used to it. The pain in her eyeballs disappeared.

"I guess so," Bonnie shrugged, smiling.

Elena rolled her eyes, unable to hide her smile. Gabby was still giggling. "Even my daughter finds my possible spontaneous combustion hilarious."

Bonnie laughed, setting the grimoire down and plopping on the bed. She picked up the giggly girl and lay back, holding Gabby up in the air. "That's my awesome little god-daughter!" Bonnie and Gabby were both laughing and Elena joined in.

It felt good for both women to laugh―there hadn't been much of that for a while. Not since before everything that happened with the new vampire and Elena's new―existence.

"She must get it from hanging out with you too much, Aunt Bonnie," Elena chuckled, reaching over to tickle Gabby's tummy, which only made the baby laugh harder. It was moments like this that helped Elena feel more human and stay grounded.

"Nah . . . it's gotta be from her crazy Aunt Caroline," Bonnie laughed. "Even even wacky Uncle Jeremy."

"Now _that_ I can agree to," Elena nodded, still laughing. "She must have gotten the crazy Gilbert gene."

"Oh yeah," Bonnie said.

"Hey, your kids'll have it too," Elena teased.

"Yeah, they will," Bonnie pretended to be disappointed. "I wonder what Emily would have thought of Gilbert and Bennett blood mixing."

"Hey, Emily wasn't all that normal either," Elena said. "She trapped twenty-six vampires in a tomb underground_ and_ made a deal with Damon of all people."

Bonnie laughed, "Very true." She sat up, setting Gabby on her stomach on the bed. "Hey, if we're going that route we can make fun of Tyler too 'cause his ancestor made a deal with _your_ crazy vampire ancestor."

Elena shook her head, rolling her eyes. If she were human she would have blushed. "You know it's weird, I think Petrova women are doomed to become vampires. Me, Isobel, Katherine . . ."

"Yeah, but the other two chose it. You didn't. Just like Caroline, you didn't have a choice. You just chose to complete the transition . . . you didn't initiate it." Bonnie reminded her.

"Like Stefan and Damon," Elena nodded.

"Yeah," Bonnie said.

Gabby rolled across the bed toward Elena. Elena picked the baby up lay her across her lap. Her voice was quiet. "I hope this never happens to Gabby." Bonnie nodded. "I know she's already half vampire and I'm _definitely_ dreading the day that shows itself in her . . ." Elena lay her hand on Gabby's back. "I just want what any mother wants for her child. I want Gabby to grow up with a normal and happy childhood and be a gawky, clumsy teenager who blossoms into a productive, functioning adult."

"Blossoms?" Bonnie chuckled.

"Yeah," Elena shrugged. "All that normal stuff. I want her to fall head over heels with the love of her life like I did Stefan . . . and get married and have a happy, normal, boring married life." Elena said.

"You've really thought this though, huh?" Bonnie said.

"Ever since the day you told me I was pregnant," Elena smiled. Bonnie, too, smiled remembering that day "I was so furious with you for telling Jeremy and Stefan . . . but I am _so_ glad you did." They both watched Gabby who was now sucking on Elena's pant leg. "So . . . when are you going to make me an auntie, Bonnie Gilbert?"

Bonnie chuckled, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Um . . ."

"Wait, are you already pregnant?" Elena's eyes grew wide.

Bonnie sighed, her smile disappearing. "No! Jer and I _were_ trying, though, before this whole 'Salvatore vampire ancestor' thing happened. Now . . . I dunno, Elena. What if it gets really bad?"

"It won't," Elena shook her head. "We'll protect you."

"Don't you remember what it was like when Jenna was pregnant with Zoe? We were in middle of the Klaus-doppelganger sacrifice thing and she and Zo almost _died_?"

Elena remembered all too well. It was the reason they'd told Jenna about everything in the first place. Elijah had promised to protect her friends and family―and nearly failed. Klaus sent vampires to attack Elena but they'd gotten Jenna instead. She'd been fatally wounded and ended up in the hospital―for the second time this year. It was then they'd found out she was pregnant and then Elena and Alaric together had decided that Jenna needed to know.

"I remember," Elena told Bonnie. "But we made it through, didn't we? And you're a witch . . . I'm sure you can protect yourself. We all can."

"I'm still not sure," Bonnie looked down at the floor.

"Well, what did Jeremy say?" Elena said, though she was pretty sure she knew her brother well enough to answer that question.

"He thinks we can handle it," Bonnie sighed.

"See?" Elena said.

Bonnie sighed, "I still don't think its a good idea . . ."

Elena stared down at Gabby in her lap. The four-month old was fast asleep, her thumb in her mouth. She remembered how stressful it was when she was pregnant with Gabby―even before the vampire quirks―and they hadn't even been in any danger then. She let out a breath. "Yeah . . . you're probably right." Bonnie nodded. "I just want my best friend to be happy―like I am." Elena repeated what Bonnie had said to her right after Gabby was born.

Bonnie smiled, leaning over to hug her surrogate sister. "I know . . . and I will. Just as soon as the danger's gone."

Elena hugged her back, talking into Bonnie's shoulder. "Sorry my vampire husband and his vampire brother have so much baggage. Geez, they're worse than teenagers." Elena smiled.

Bonnie chuckled. "Yeah . . . I guess Bowling For Soup had it right . . . high school really does _never_ end."

Elena laughed. They broke apart from their hug, both laughing. Gabby whispered in her sleep and Elena looked down. She stopped laughing, sighing. I should probably put her down in the crib."

"'Kay," Bonnie nodded. Elena adjusted Gabby in her arms, standing. Bonnie got up too, grabbing the grimoire.

"Thanks for the ring again, Bonnie," Elena said. "It means a lot that you can trust me. No one else besides Stefan does yet . . ."

Bonnie nodded. "I know. Just give them time. They'll see. And, don't worry about Damon. He's way worse than you by a _lot_."

"I dunno . . . he seems different since he got back." She shrugged. She'd told Bonnie about him compelling her five years ago and the confrontation they'd had in the kitchen. "I dunno what he's been been up to since he left . . . but he's not the same."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

Elena shrugged. "I dunno yet. We'll see. It doesn't really mean anything about the way I feel about him – the way I've always felt . . . I just don't know what to think of it."

"As long as he helps us with this vampire, it's all good," Bonnie said.

"Definitely," Elena nodded. "That's all we really need him for." Both girls chuckled.

Bonnie left to go downstairs and Elena went next door to put Gabby down in her crib. She went in the room, not bothering to turn on the lights. Between her vampire senses and just knowing the room room by heart, she didn't need it.

As she set Gabby down in the crib, she felt a presence behind her. She smiled, leaning back.

"Hey," Stefan said, kissing the back of her head. "Bonnie spell your ring?"

"Yeah," She said.

He kissed the nape of her neck, whispering in her ear. His hot breath on her cool skin sent tingles down her spine. "Why don't we take a walk?" She sighed, melting in his embrace.

"W-what about G-Gabby?' She whispered. His hands settled on her waist.

"There's _seven_ adults downstairs," He continued to kiss her neck. "They're all perfectly capable of taking care of her."

She nodded, too distracted by his kisses to say anything.

"Why don't you go change and I'll go meet you outside." Stefan nibbled on her ear.

"Y-yeah . . ." She nodded. He disappeared and she used her vampire speed to go to her room and change.

To Be Continued . . .


	8. Chapter 7: The Three Missing Petrovas

Love Is Not Time's Fool

Chapter Seven: The Three Missing Petrovas

Elena stepped outside a mere two minutes after leaving Stefan in Gabby's room. She was now dressed out of the sweats and tank-top she'd had on earlier and into a pair of dark blue low-rider jeans, a red t-shirt, and a black sweater as well as well as her converse tennis shoes.

She rubbed her arms against the chill. Not because she was cold but just from habit. She still wasn't used to being a vampire.

A pair of hands settled on her hips and her grin grew into a smirk. "What took you so long?" She purred

They started walking down the driveway, his hands still on her hips. "I was asking Bonnie to keep an ear out for Gabrielle." Stefan told her.

"Oh," she nodded. They leisurely strolled along the path to the end of the driveway, crossing the road to the edge of the forest. "Should we even be out right now? What if we're attacked? What if there's an attack at the house?"

They stopped and she turned to face him. "Ssshh..." He touched her lip with his index finger. "It'll be okay . . . it's okay." He traced her lips with his finger.

She sighed, nodding. "Even as a vampire I worry to much."

He chuckled, dropping his hand and placing a brief kiss on lips. "You're still new. Your emotions still heightened. With time you'll learn to balance them."

Elena nodded. They fell in step next to each other, hand in hand, and continued to trek deeper in the forest. The path was familiar – they often enjoyed leisurely walks just the two of them – and neither really payed attention to where they were going. Elena leaned her head on Stefan's shoulder.

"Do you remember when we got engaged?" Elena said aloud.

"As if it were yesterday," Stefan nodded, smiling. "It was just days after Bonnie and Jeremy had returned from their honeymoon. You took the day off your classes and I left the habitat I'd built in my office and we spent the day together."

Elena smiled, sighing, as memories of that day washed over her, "Yeah, because you were writing your second book."

"And we just walked in the forest all day long . . ." Stefan remembered.

"Until I was so tired I couldn't walk anymore," Elena smiled. "That's one thing I _won't_ miss about being human."

"Do you remember what else we did?" He smirked.

"Definitely," Elena was all smiles. "When I got too tired we went for a swim in the falls and made love in the water, and fell asleep on the rocks . . ."

"And I woke up to you staring―"

"Gazing," Elena interrupted him, smiling.

"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "You say 'Stefan, let's get married' and I said 'let's do it' . . . and here we are."

"That was a really good day," Elena sighed happily.

"It was," Stefan agreed. They walked on for a while in silence, enjoying the comfort of each other's company, listenign to the sounds of the forest.

Elena thought about how she'd felt that day. The idea to propose had come to her suddenly while watching Stefan sleep. She'd known that a vampire/human relationship – let alone marriage – could never last but in that moment sh'ed found herself not caring. All she'd known – and still did – was that she loved Stefan and he loved her . . . and everything else they could figure out. And . . . they had. They were married, they had a beautiful baby girl, and they would spend an eternity together.

"Elena, stop . . ."

Stefan's voice startled her and her feet instantly ceased. He'd stopped a few inches behind her. His whole body was tense, on alert, and he was looking around.

Elena, too, looked around. "Stefan, what is it?"

"Sshhh," He put his fingers to his lips.

It was then that Elena felt her whole body tense as rigid as her husband's. A tingle travelled down her spine and her she could feel her gums prickle.

"We're not alone," Stefan's voice was so low that if she weren't a vampire she wouldn't have heard it.

She backed up, standing back to back with him. They both searched the trees, looking for signs of the intruders they knew were there.

"Where are they?" Elena whispered.

His eyes still scanning the forest, his expression set. "I'm not sure."

The anticipation was making Elena's gums itch. A quick glance at Stefan confirmed his as well – his fangs and eyes were already changed. With a deep breath, she felt hers change too.

And then . . . they _weren't_ alone. Dozens or more vampires – all with their game faces on – sped from the trees and descended on Stefan and Elena.

Husband and wife fought tooth, nail, and fist against their attackers. Stefan, being almost 170 years old, was a tad stronger and faster than his newbie wife. She'd learned some stuff from his over the years but it just wasn't enough against so many attackers.

"Stefan!" She cried out as she felt a needle against her skin. What little strength she had instantly depleted and she felt sleepy.

Vervain.

"Elena!" Stefan shouted over the vampires that held him down and gnashed their teeth at him.

"Stefan . . ." She slumped to the ground, held by the arms by their attackers."

"Elena!" He shouted again . . . And before he even knew what was happeneing the vampires were gone – his wife with them.

"No!" He yelled angrily, scrambling to his feet and desperately searching the forest for his wife.

But she was nowhere to be found.

"Elena . . ." He cried out, falling in defeat to the ground.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Down in the ruins of Fell's church, Katherine lay against the rock of the cave. Her body was so desicated from lack of blood―she hadn't had any for over a year―that she couldn't move anymore. Her skin was rotted, her veins rubbed together daily, and the pain was _excruciating_.

She couldn't move but she could _hear_ and _smell_ and _feel_ everything. She often heard other vampire describe desication but she never imagined anything like _this_. It was so much worse than the burn of vervain or the rays of the sunda.

There was a rustle in the forest upstairs . . . somone was coming down the stone steps. Who was it? She couldn't tell. They didn't smell human and she couldn't hear a heartbeat. Stefan? Damon? Ugh . . . Caroline? Klaus and Elijah were dead . . . as were Rose and Trevor. So . . . who was it?

"Katerina . . ." a gruff voice called out – a man.

Oh great . . . they knew her old name.

"Katerina . . ."

If she could, she'd call out 'What' just to get whoever it was to shut up.

Light footsteps crossed the dirt floor. 'Whoever' was just a few feet away from her.

"Oh boy . . . someone's bene down here quite a while, haven't they?"

She didn't recognize the voice. Who was this and why did they know her? What did they want? She fought with all they could to move or even open her eyes but nothing came of it. She was helpless . . . and it annoyed her to no end. She hated not being in control.

"I suppose I should give you some blood . . . it might make it easier to get you out of here . . ."

Oh yes, please . . . Katherine's entire body hummed at the mention of blood. The pain intensified. She'd cry out if she could.

"Then again, without blood you're as pliable as putty . . ." Her visitor considered.

They couldn't get her out, though. Elijah had compelled her to stay in the tomb. She been freed though years earlier when Stefan and the history teacher killed Elijah . . . but then Bonnie and Lucy had put her right back in and put the tomb spell back up. Then they'd all come up with some plan and killed Klaus. And . . . here Katherine still sat.

"I think we will wait until we've arrived and are settled before I revive you . . ."

She felt a needle in her shoulder . . . and then the noise and smell an dfeeling went away . . .

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"Gah!"

When Elena awoke, she scanned her surroundings. Where was Stefan? She found herself to be in a dark, dank, wet, underground room. Hey, where was the forest?

Then she felt the burning sensation throughout her entire bodily system and she felt sluggish and tired.

Vervain . . .

Then the events in the forest came back to her. Walking with Stefan, the attack, the vervain needle . . . oh god . . .

Where was Stefan?

She looked around again, seeing a slumped over skeletal figure in the corner across the dank, enclosed room. Oh boy . . .

She crawled over as best she could, trying to push back the pain from the vervain. She pushed dry, dirty, brittle hair out of the figure's face and saw . . . a dead, desicated version of herself.

Katherine.

What was her doppelganger doing here? Then a thought came to her: had someone or something locked her in the tomb under Fell's church with Katherine? But no, the walls _were_ stone but it was square like a basement or dungeon.

She looked around the room again, this time finding a tray with a wine glass – full of blood. She crawled over to it and took a drink, feeling the vervain wear off. From the taste she could tell it was human blood.

Her enhanced ears caught the lightest of noises and looked up: Katherine's body flinched in the tiniest, subtle way. The blood. Elena bit her bottom lip . . . should she give the rest of the blood to Katherine?

If she did, the older vampire might snap her head off. But . . . maybe they could work together to get out.

The tiniest of whimpers hit Elena's ear. She sighed. The older vampre probably could get them out . . . she looked back and forth between Katherine and the blood.

Elena rolled her eyes.

She was _so_ going to kick her ass.

She had to give the blood to Katherine. She sighed again, going back over by her desicated doppelganger. Lifting Katherine's head she brought the glass to the rotted lips. She tipped the glass up, getting some blood on Katherine's lips. Color slowly peeked out from behind the greyish white skin. The lips parted and Elena poured the blood down. More color appeared bring back Katherine's pale, olive-colored skin.

The 500-year-old vampire's arms raised and yanked the glass away from Elena, taking every dropp she could. When the glass was licked clean, Katherine let it drop. She coughed and dust flew out of her mouth in a cloud. "M-more . . ." Katherine croaked, hungry eyes on Elena. She started reaching for Elena's arm, trying to bite it.

Elena pulled her arm away, shaking her head. "Katherine, I'm not human anymore."

Katherine just looked at her, bloodlust in her eyes.

"Sorry, that's all we had . . ." Elena picked up the glass.

Katherine huffed, pushing herself to a sitting position. "Why are _you _here." Her voice was still dry.

"Probably the same reason you are," Elena shrugged. "We're not under Fell's church. I don't even know if we're in Mystic Falls anymore."

"Who did you piss off this time?" Katherine scrunched up her face in disgust.

"Me?" Elena said. "You started this doppelganger thing in the first place!"

"Whatever," Katherine bit off.

"I don't know why we're here," Elena sighed, her eyes closed, moving to lean against the wall. After a few seconds she opened her eyes, sitting up. "Wait . .. I _do_ know." Her jaw dropped and her hand covered her mouth.

Katherine snorted, "Really, Velma?"

Elena rolled her eyes, dropping her hand. "It's John . . . oh my god . . ."

"Gilbert?" This time it was Katherine who rolled her eyes.

"No," Elena scrunched her face. "It's Stefan and Damon's vampire ancestor from Italy." Elena told Katherine of John and Paolo and Francesca and the events from the past few days.

"Great," Katherine's tone was slightly annoyed. "Those Salvtore men just don't know how to share . . ."

Elena rolled her eyes, though chuckling. She had to admit, it was kinda funny . . . Katherine's lips curled to a smirk . . . and they both burst into identical, uncontrollably laughter.

But then a familiar sound registered in Elena's ears. Her smiled flatened. "Katherine, stop." Elena blurted out.

Annoyed, Katherine's laughter ceased, her ears also perked. "Wait, is that a ba―"

"My daughter," Elena's fangs withdrew. A tight pain seized in her chest. Anger flooded her system. Katherine watched her doppelganger with intrigue. Elena ignored her amusement, the anger completely supressing the vervain in her system as she sprung to her feet. "I need to get out of here . . ." She began speeding around and examining the room around her, searching for the easiest exit.

The walls were stone – and damp. Sewer pipes snaked their way across the ceiling and parts of the walls. The pipes were dripping. Elena held out her hand to let a drop fall on her . . . the drop burned her skin like acid – or rather, vervain. There was a heavy stone door – but no doorknob.

"Good luck with that," Katherine sighed. "This John guy sounds like a real piece of work: Both of us_ and _your kid. Hmm . . . wonder who else he's got too . . ."

"I need to get to my daughter . . ." Elena sped to the door, trying to find a way out of it. She tried every which way to open the door – with no luck. "Damnit!" She cursed.

Katherine sighed, adjusting to a more comfortable sitting position.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

When Stefan got back to the Boarding House, he found it in a state of dissaray. He'd searched the entire town for Elena with no luck. Now he was retreating to the gang, hoping they could help.

But when he got there . . . the front door was wide open. The hall and living room were a complete mess. The smell of blood filled his senses . . .

Gabby . . .

He sped around the house, trying to find his daughter and the other people who were supposed to be there. The library, the parlor, and the dining room were a mess as well.

In the kitchen he found everyone scattered around the mid-sized room. Damon stood leaning against the counter, his arms crossed and angry expression on his face. Jenna sat at the tall table, a whimpering and sleepy Zoe in her lap. There was a small, open cut above Jenna's eye. Alaric stood behind his wife, one hand rubbing his daughter's back and the other massaging Jenna's shoulder. There were several cuts and bruises on his face, arms, and neck.

Bonnie sat at the island, Emily's Grimoire in front of her as she flipped through the pages. Jeremy sat next to her, holding an icepck to her shoulder blade. Jeremy had a split lip and his cheek was bruised and cut.

Tyler and Caroline stood in the corner, Dillion on Caroline's hip. The couple stared at the floor as Dillion snoozed against his mother's chest.

Damon was the first to look up, anger still present. "Where's Elena?"

"We were attacked by more than a dozen vampires." If he were human, Stefan's heart would be pounding. "They overtook us and . . . they have here . . ." Damon shook his head, cursing.

"Don't worry," Bonnie didn't look up from the book. "We'll get them back. _I'll_ get them back . . ."

"Them . . ." Stefan's eyes scanned everyone's in the room. Nobody would look him in the eye. "Gabrielle . . ." He used his vampire speed to search for her. The nursery, his and Elena's room . . . everywhere. But she wasn't there.

He sped back downstairs to the kitchen, stopping at the doorway. Everyone turned to look at him. His face was devoid of any emotion. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.

His wife and daughte were gone . . .

"It's worse," Caroline's voice was quiet.

Damon nodded, sighing. "I swung by the tomb to question Katherine, see if she knows anything."

Stefan didn't like where this was going.

"She wasn't there," Damon said.

"We don't know how she got out . . . but we will find her." Jeremy said.

"But we don't think she's involved either," Bonnie said.

Stefan digested this information . . . his wife and daughter were kidnapped . . . and his ex was missing . . .

He really wanted to rip his ancestor apart . . .

To Be Continued . . .


	9. Chapter 8: The Turning Point

Love Is Not Time's Fool

Chapter Eight: The Turning Point

Author's Note: So . . . here's the update. Grr...I can't believe they stuck us with _another_ long-ass hiatus! And what a cliffhanger too, more so than we had in _By The Light Of The Moon_! Just a few notes, Katherine's a bit off-character in this chapter but that's cause, well . . . people do change. Even really old vampires. Look at Damon! Also . . . just to warn of a _possible_ character death. I haven't quite decided if I will yet or who it'll be. Just a warning. Less of a freakout later. One never knows where the muse goes. Maybe even two character'll go. Oh, and we're nearing the end of Love Is Not Time's Fool. But alas . .. I already have an idea for a third installment :) Okay, notes over. On to the chapter:

"Would you just give up already?" Katherine, bored, examined her nails. She _so_ wished she had a manicure kit.

Elena was still trying to get out of the basement hours after waking up in there. She'd been burned repeatedly by the vervain-filled water but she kept going.

"Shut up, Katherine," Elena mumbled, groaning as she tried to pry the door open again.

"It's no use," Katherine sighed. "You're too new. You're not strong enough."

"Watch me," Elena grit her teeth.

"It'll never work . .." Katherine's voice a sing-song.

Elena sighed, annoyed. She bared her fangs and used her speed to lunge at Katherine, choking her. Katherine bared her own fangs and pushed her doppelganger off of her, sending Elena flying into the wall across the room. Elena hit the wall with a thud and a grunt, the vervin-water burning her back. She collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain. She lay there as Katherine stood up and walked toward her, towering over her.

Katherine's voice was calm yet deadly, "Don't do that again."

The 500-plus vampire stared at the younger one for a few moments, holding her gaze. Then Katherine walked away, taking her seat on the ground as before.

After a few painful minutes, Elena sat up. She stayed where she was, facing Katherine. Her eyes sent silent daggers to her ancestor.

Katherine, sighed, resuming her examination of her un-kept nails.

Then the door opened. Elena jumped. Katherine did not. Two vampire Elena recognized from the forest stood on either side of a tall vampire wearing a black wooden mask. Both Katherine and Elena stood but Elena backed up.

"Hello," the vampire in the mask – Elena assumed him to be John Malatesta – spoke. "I trust that the two of you are . . . comfortable."

Katherine snorted, "Sure we are. Who the hell are you?"

"You must be Katerina," Malatesta smiled. "I ran into Klaus a few times. He mentioned your peculiar attitude."

Katherine sneered, rolling her eyes.

"Which makes you Elena Gilbert," Malatesta pointed to Elena. "I wasn't expecting you both to be vampires . . . I find myself rather disappointed. I had planned on _breaking_ you before I turned you, Miss Gilbert." Malatesta sighed. "No matter. Now the fun can begin."

It was then that Elena found her voice, which came out between grated teeth. "_Where is my daughter?_"

"Calm down, Miss Gilbert," Malatesta smiled. "She is slumbering peacefully."

"Where?" Elena snarled.

Malatesta sped up, coming to stand in front of Elena, and grabbed her by the throat. "I do not tolerate such insolence." Elena, though strong, couldn't get him off of her. She choked, gasping for unneeded air. Katherine smirked. Malatesta stared Elena in the eye. "Try that again and I'll snap your daughter in two."

A small whimper escaped Elena's lips as Malatesta let her go. She clutched her throat, coughing.

Malatesta sighed, shaking his head. "I merely wanted to introduce myself and explain how the two of you will be spending the rest of eternity."

Katherine crossed her arms, her eyes scanning the three vampires and the slightly open door behind them.

"My intention is not to kill you – either of you. No, the two of you will spend the rest of your eternal lives as my wives."

Katherine rolled her eyes, gagging. Elena's eyes were fearful as she thought of Stefan and Gabby. "And my daughter? What do you want with Gabrielle?"

"She's a Petrova . . ." Malatesta said as if that explained everything.

"But she's also a Salvatore . . . she's your descendant." Elena said.

"Oh, I know . . ." Malatesta sighed. "My brother's illegitimate line – that reminds me. Before I take my new brides, Damon and Stefan must die."

"Just because of something their ancestors did?" Elena said. "They had no control – they weren't even alive!" Elena gave Katherine a pointed look – old Klaus issues.

Katherine rolled her eyes.

Malatesta just laughed – chuckled, really – and his 'minions' followed suite.

The door swung open and other male vampire stormed into the room. Malatesta stopped laughing, growling. "What?"

"The kid won't shut up, boss!"

The words sparked a desperate ache in Elena's heart. It was true . . . she could hear Gabrielle crying.

Malatesta sighed, growling again.

"Please . . ." Elena pleaded, moving forward. "I'll do whatever you want just please . . . please give me my baby . . ."

Malatesta regarded her words, snarling. He nodded at the two vampire who'd come in with him. They pulled wooden knives from their belts and kicked and slashed and pounded their fists into the new vampire over and over again.

Elena cried out holding her now broken ribs as blood dripped everywhere. "Please . . ." She choked out, begging. Malatesta snarled again, kicking her in the face himself.

Katherine sighed, annoyed. "For crying out loud, just give her the kid. Make it _shut up_! She's too weak to do anything anyway."

Malatesta cocked his head to the side as if in deep thought. He watched Elena writhing on the ground in pain. Then he turned to his vampires. "Very well. Bring the child. Leave, all of you."

All three of the vampire left, leaving him alone with Katherine and Elena. They shut the door behind them. Malatesta went over by Elena, bending down at her side. He pushed the hair out of her sweaty, dirty face. Tears tracked paths in the dirt in her pores. He squeezed her cheeks together, her lips pursing into a line.

"Your Petrova blood will make our eternity together ever-thrilling . . ." His breath blew in her face from behind the mask and she supressed the urge to throw up. "You _will_ submit to me. _Both_ of you." Behind him, Katherine sighed. To Elena, he whispered. "I _will_ break you, yet . . ." He pulled off his wooden mask. Elena scrunched her face – Stefan really hadn't been exaggerating about the deformities. Malatesta stared her in the eye. "I will . . ." And then . . . he kissed her. It lasted for what seemed like forever and Elena_ really_ felt like throwing up whatever was in her stomach . . .

. . . she could even hear Katherine heaving in the background.

When Malatesta finally released her lips, Elena turned her head and . . . threw up blood. It hit the dirt with a sickening _splat_. "Oh god . . ." Elena groaned, gagging, still spitting up blood.

Malatesta's face grew angry at her disgust. He stood up, picked her up, and slammed her into the wall. Her back burned again, shredding her clothing where water touched cloth and skin. He held her there, reaching over to a pipe. He pulled the pipe apart, water – vervain water – now splashing over Elena's entire body.

"No!" Elena cried out, her skin felt like it was igniting. The water puddled on the floor beneath her. Malatesta dropped her in the puddle and she screamed.

All the while Elena felt Katherine's eyes on her. It burned worse than the vervain.

"Get her out of the water!" Malatesta shouted. This time, Katherine did jump. "Now!"

Katherine jumped again, hurrying over to her doppelganger. Trying to avoid the water as much as she could, Katherine dragged Elena to a dry part of the room. Elena was very near unconsciousness. Katherine sat her up, Elena now sitting and leaning a dry part of the wall.

The door opened again and one of Malatesta's vampires carried Gabrielle in. The baby screamed and bawled and kicked in his arms.

Elena tried to hold up her arms or even look up at her baby but she was too weak.

"Well?" Malatesta said, expecting her to take the baby despite her condition. Helpless tears flooded down Elena's cheeks. "You wanted her. Take her."

Katherine looked back and forth between Elena and the baby. In a split-second decision, Katherine blurted out: "Here. Give her here."

Malatesta kinked an eyebrow, smirking. The vampire holding the baby looked to his master for approval, who nodded.

Katherine held out her arms. Elena felt a panic rise inside. What was Katherine doing?

The vampire handed Gabrielle over to Katherine, who now held the baby with uncertainty.

Malatesta shook his head, sighing. Then he and his vampire left the room.

Elena's weakening gaze was fixed on her ancestor and her child. She tried to get up, to move, to _anything_ but she was paralyzed in pain. "Gabby . . ." She whispered as she felt herself slip in unconsciousness . . .

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Katherine watched Elena's eyes close as the baby in her arms continued to cry. She was at a complete loss. Over 500 plus years of existence she'd done, seen, and experienced many things.

This was not one of them.

She'd never held a new life in her arms. Never. She'd been robbed the chance to hold her own daughter and now . . .

. . . she was holding her daughter's great-great-whatever granddaughter. Her doppelganger's daughter, no less. The reality of it all was surreal, even to her.

Being the bitch that she was, however, she wouldn't dwell on it much more than that. And Elena was lucky she was unconscious because _nobody_ got to see Katerina Petrova with her guard down. She'd made sure of that long before she'd even met Klaus.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help the peculiar feeling she got as the baby in her arms cried out helplessly. It had been so long since she'd felt _anything_ that she wasn't even sure what it was that she was feeling.

She suddenly felt a rocking sensation and found that she was swaying . . . rocking the baby back and forth. And then a noise came from her mouth – she was humming! After a few moments she recognized the tune: it was a lullaby her mother had sung to her as a child.

A memory tugged at her heart, one she hadn't thought of for hundreds of years . . . not even a few hours after giving birth, Katerina's child was already long gone with another family. Her mother held her all that night, singing the same lullaby from her childhood until Katerina fell asleep. The next morning she was on the road – on foot – away from Bulgaria.

Gabrielle's lessening cries shook Katherine from her memories. The bawls of desperation were now merely whimpers of confusion.

Elena's eyes started to open, her skin very slowly healing. "G-Gabby . . ."

Blinking, confused by what she was feeling, Katherine went over by and knelt down next to her doppelganger. Their eyes met and Katherine saw confusion and panic in Elena's eyes. Katherine looked away, down at the baby.

Elena started to move her arms and Katherine gently set the baby in Elena's lap. Elena winced in pain, holding her arms protectively around her baby.

Katherine stood up and walked away, still confused by what she was feeling in her heart.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"I found them!" Bonnie exclaimed, watching the mixture of Jeremy and Stefan's blood run on the map to a small-town location on the edge of Virginia.

Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Alaric, Caroline, Jenny, Tyler, and Bonnie all crowded around the table around the map.

"Let's go, then," Stefan moved away from the table, going across the room. He opened up a wooden chest and pulled out several weapons – stakes, crossbows, vervain darts and bombs . . .

"I'll stay with the kids," Jenna, never in all these years one for fighting, volunteered.

"Thanks," Caroline said. Jenna nodded.

"I'll stay too," Alaric said. "In case they attack again."

"Sounds good," Damon, too, grabbed weapons, as did the others.

Everyone besides Ric and Jenna filed out of the Salvatore house and into Stefan's SUV. Then, they were on the road. Stefan drove.

"I have no idea exactly how many vampires he's got," Damon said, "But I know its a lot."

"With six of us it shouldn't be a problem," Jeremy held his wife's hand.

"Hopefully," Caroline mumbled, biting her bottom lip.

"So stealth is the key," Stefan said. "Damon, me, Tyler, and Jeremy'll go after them and Malatesta. Bonnie, find Elena and Gabby. Caroline, you back up Bonnie."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What are we supposed to do if Katherine's there?" Caroline said.

"Kill the bitch," Damon said. "Rip her heart out."

"Agreed," Stefan said. "Who knows whether or not she's involved and even if she's not . . ."

"She needs to die," Damon said. Stefan nodded.

"Got it," Caroline said. Bonnie, Jeremy, and Tyler nodded.

An hour and a half and super-speedy-driving later, they were about two or three blocks from where Elena and Gabrielle were.

They all scattered the area in pairs to attack from all sides. Stefan with Tyler, Damon with Jeremy, and Bonnie with Caroline.

And . . . they all attacked at once.

Bonnie and Caroline watched as two vampires stood watch from a truck entrance behind the building. The building was some kind of abandoned warehouse. The two vampires were like statues, just watching.

"Okay," Caroline mouthed. "Can you understand me?"

Bonnie nodded. If they even whispered, the vampire would hear them.

"I'll distract and kill them as you slip inside," Caroline mouthed. Bonnie nodded again. "Then we'll go find Elena and Gabby."

"Got it," Bonnie mouthed.

Caroline held up three fingers, putting them down one by one. Once the last one was down, Caroline sped across the yard and rushed the guard-vamps. The blonde ripped one of the guard's hearts out right away and fought with the other, eventually driving a stake in its heart.

Bonnie ran from her hiding spot and went in the door. Soon after, Caroline was right next to her. "Let's go . . ." Bonnie mouthed. Caroline nodded.

They searched through empty halls and rooms until they came upon a stone flight of stairs. Caroline looked to Bonnie who shrugged. They descended the stairs quietly.

A vampire appeared out of nowhere. Bonnie focused her eyes, giving the vampire one of her famed 'aneurysms' until his ears bled and he collapsed to the ground. Caroline drove a stake in his heart and the vampire turned to grey.

The two continued coming up to the end of a hall. There was a locked door. Caroline put her ear up to the door, her eyes widening.

"I don't know about anyone or thing else but Gabby's in that room!" Caroline whispered. She tried turning the knob, but the door needed a key.

"Move," Bonnie said. Caroline nodded, moving away from the door.

Bonnie closed her eyes, raising her hand toward the door.

TVDTVDTVDTVD

Damon and Jeremy fought the vampires as they got deeper and deeper into the warehouse. They hadn't said a word to each other. Jeremy still didn't like Damon – not that anyone did, really. And Damon just hated them all.

They rounded a corner when Jeremy grunted in pain. Damon turned around: a vampire had appeared and stabbed Jeremy with a wooden stake in the gut. The vampire pulled the stake out and Jeremy fell to the ground, bleeding . . .

TVDTVDTVDTVD

Stefan and Tyler, too, fought the vampires as Stefan desperately tried to catch his wife and/or daughter's scents.

A few corners and ripped out hearts later, Stefan heard a maniacal laugh – John Malatesta. Then the vampire in question appeared, clapping his hands.

"Congratulations, you found me. Your rescue will have been in vain though, I'm afraid. You all will die and the Petrova women will be mine."

Stefan snarled, a rage consuming him. He lunged forward, raising a stake. The stake drove through John Malatesta's heart . . . Malatesta, shocked, froze as his deformed skin began to turn grey.

Taking a few breaths, watching as the dead vampire fell to the ground, Stefan turned to go after the other vampires . . . but it was too late. A vampire had his teeth latched deep in Tyler's shoulder. The werewolf cried out, throwing his attacker across the room . . .

Stefan felt a pointed tip pierce his skin . . .

To Be Continued . . .


	10. Chapter 9: Rescue

Love Is Not Time's Fool

Chapter Nine: Rescue

Stefan felt a pointed tip pierce his skin . . .

"Aaahh!" He cried out as pain spread through his shoulder. He snarled, his fangs extending. He twisted his body and threw the vampire who stabbed him across the room.

He rushed the vampire, staking the vampire in the heart. He staked the last two vampires and then he went over to Tyler. The werewolf was on his hands and knees, hunched over in pain.

"Tyler, you okay?" Stefan said.

Tyler heaved, looking up. Panting, he nodded. He stood up, clutching his shoulder. "Yeah . . . it's healing. Let's go find the others."

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"Move," Bonnie said. Caroline nodded, moving away from the door.

Bonnie closed her eyes, raising her hand toward the door.

"Can you get it open?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie started chanting under her breath, her hand still raised. The door started trembling, shaking as if it were an earthquake..

It rattled louder and louder until it exploded, sending iron into oblivion. Bonnie and Caroline rushed into the room . . .

. . . inside was a weak, scared, Elena holding Gabby in her lap and . . . Katherine?

Bonnie reacted, using her powers to send the older vampire flying against the wall. Katherine grunted, collapsing on the ground.

"B-Bonnie, no . . ." Elena's voice was weak.

Caroline raced to Elena's side, picking Gabby – who was now crying – up.

Bonnie started to go after Katherine again but Elena shook her head. "N-no . . ." She struggled to move.

"Elena, it's _Katherine_!" Bonnie said.

"D-don't . . ." Elena breathed. "She h-helped . . ."

Bonnie and Caroline stared at Elena in disbelief. Katherine watched all of them closely, ready to defend herself.

"Elena, we can't trust her," Caroline said.

"She w-won't do anything . . . I-I know she w-won't," Elena said. Bonnie sighed, shaking her head. Katherine looked at Elena in confusion.

"We need to get out of here," Caroline handed Gabby over to Bonnie. Bonnie nodded, cradling Gabby.

"I don't t-think I can . . ." Elena sighed. "The v-vervain did too m-much . . ."

"Caroline and I can help you," Katherine spoke up, rising to her feet and going to Elena's side.

"Yeah," Caroline nodded. She stood up. Katherine and Caroline each hooked their arms under each of Elena's burned ones. Elena grunted in pain as they lifted her up. She leaned against Caroline's shoulder.

"She needs blood," Katherine told them.

"First lets find the others and get out of here," Bonnie said.

Caroline and Katherine guided Elena out of the room with Bonnie and Gabby taking the rear.

"S-Stefan?" Elena whispered.

"He's with Tyler," Caroline said. "We all split up in pairs." Elena nodded, her eyes closing as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Just then, Bonnie felt a horrible stabbing pain in her heart.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Damon and Jeremy rounded a corner when Jeremy grunted in pain. Damon turned around: A vampire came out of nowhere and stabbed Jeremy with a stake in the gut. The vampire pulled the stake out and Jeremy fell to the ground, bleeding . . .

"Shit!" Damon cursed. He staked the vampire who fell to the ground, dead.

Jeremy was curled up in a ball, clutching his stomach. Damon bit the inside of his wrist and shoved it in Jeremy's mouth. Jeremy resisted at first but took the blood.

When he thought Jeremy had enough, Damon pulled his wrist back. Jeremy coughed, gagging. The wound healed, and Jeremy stood.

He stared at Damon, unsure. "Um . . . thanks."

"Don't mention it," Damon shrugged.

"Jeremy!"

Bonnie ran around the corner and up to her husband with Gabby in her arms. She nestled her head in his chest, tears running down her face.

Jeremy wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

"I felt it, I felt all of it," Bonnie sobbed. "Oh god, I almost lost you . . ."

"I'm okay," Jeremy whispered in her ear. "It's okay."

It was then that Caroline and Katherine rounded the corner with unconscious Elena slumped between them.

Damon and Jeremy just stared. "Why is _she_ coming with?" Damon snarled in disgust.

"Damon, don't," Bonnie warned.

"We need to find Tyler and Stefan and get Elena and Gabrielle out of here," Caroline said.

"I can find them," Bonnie handed Gabby to Jeremy. She closed her eyes, chanting. Then she opened her eyes. "I know where they are. Follow me." The witch took the lead and the others followed.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"They've got to be around here somewhere . . . I can smell them," Tyler said.

Stefan nodded as they ran through the corridors. "I can hear Jeremy, Bonnie, and Gabby's heartbeats."

Tyler sniffed, stopping. Stefan stopped behind him. "What is it?" Stefan said.

"I-I . . . I don't know . . ." Tyler swayed, his vision blurring.

"Whoa . . ." Stefan steadied the wolf's shoulder.

"I can't – I can't . . ." Tyler stumbled on his words.

Stefan heard footsteps in the distance and it wasn't long before the entire gan was in the hallway with them.

Caroline's eyes widened when she saw her husband. She dropped Elena's arm and the weakened vampire fell on her doppelganger's shoulder. Caroline took hold of Tyler and Stefan let go. Tyler's eyes dropped and Caroline held him up.

Confused, Stefan pulled Elena from Katherine's arms and picked his wife up, bridal style. His gaze fell on the now-sleeping Gabby in her uncle's arms.

"Why is Kath―"

"Don't ask," Damon rolled his eyes, cutting Stefan off. "Let's just find our jackass of an ancestor and get the hell out of here."

"He's dead," Stefan told him. "I killed him."

"Well then," Damon said. "Let's get out of here."

"I second then," Caroline sighed, still holding hr husband up.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

By the time they returned to the Salvatore Boarding House, Tyler had taken a turn for the worst. During the drive, an inspection of his wound revealed that there was wolfsbane in the bite. He was pale, the wound stopped healing, and he was in and out of consciousness.

Caroline was beside herself with worry. The others tried to comfort her but nothing helped. One look at Dillon and the blonde broke down in tears. Bonnie tried spells to heal it but it didn't do anything. Not even vampire blood was working.

After hours of searching, they were no closer to helping Tyler.

At first the others didn't want Dillon around his ailing father but Caroline decided that he should be able to say goodbye.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Meanwhile, Elena was recuperating in her and Stefan's bedroom. Most of the burns and bruises had healed but the process was slow―even after she drank a few blood bags. She was still weak from the beatings and vervain-laced water soak. Like Tyler, she was also in and out of consciousness. However, her body was healing.

Stefan sat by her side the entire time, holding Gabby in one arm and holding Elena's hand with the other. He couldn't let his girls out of his sight again.

Gabby fell asleep and it wasn't long until Stefan joined her . . . now all three of them sleeping.

Later on Stefan jerked awake when he felt the weight on one of his arms lighten. He immediately went into alter seeing someone who looked like his wife picking his daughter up and cradling the infant in her arms.

But one look confirmed that Elena was still unconscious in their bed. "Katherine!" He growled, dropping Elena's hand and rising to his feet.

"Calm down," Katherine whispered, shushing him.

"What are you doing?" Stefan whispered . . . though harsher.

"She was crying," Katherine shrugged. "Everyone downstairs is either sleeping, out, or busy."

Stefan wasn't sure what to make of this. This Katherine was much different than the Katherine he'd ever known. "You haven't taken off yet." He observed.

Katherine rocked the fussy baby in her arms, shrugging. "Don't really have anywhere to go. I've been running from Klaus for so long . . . never really thought of anything else."

He didn't trust Katherine, but . . . Bonnie and Caroline did tell him that she helped Elena and Gabby while they were in captivity. He watched her, trying to study her body language. She wasn't tense or on alert. She also didn't seem to be on the hunt or contemplating the blood in the helpless baby's veins.

"I won't hurt her," Katherine seemed to know what he was thinking. She walked over to him, holding Gabrielle out. Stefan held out his arms and Katherine gently placed the baby in her father's arms.

Stefan was at a complete loss.

Katherine walked over to the bed and sat at the end of it. Stefan resumed his seat, cradling is daughter close.

"Can I ask you something, Stefan?" Katherine said.

"Um . . ." Stefan thought about it. "Sure."

"When you were human, before you knew I was a vampire . . ." She said. "Did you ever think about us . . . the future?" She took a deep breath. "Children?"

Stefan sighed, watching Elena's chest not rise and fall. Who was this Katherine? "Well . . . yeah." He told her honestly. She nodded, staring down at the floor. "It was the times more than anything else. From early on Father ingrained in both me and Damon – not that he payed any attention – that it was our job to find a wife, have a family, and do all we could to provide for them.

Katherine nodded – he figured it had been the same when she was alive.

And just like that, the entire room felt completely different. Normal, almost. He didn't feel threatened by Katherine's presence so close to the lives that meant so much to him. Dare he say, he even felt that he could _trust_ her.

"Katherine?" He looked up, but the older vampire was suddenly gone. Shrugging, he turned his attention back to Elena, who was still asleep.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Three days later, Stefan opened the car door and stepped out. On the other side, Elena also got out. She smoothed her black dress, pulling the sleeves of her sweater down. She opened the backseat and bent down, unattaching and lifting Gabrielle's car seat out.

"Honey, can you grab the diaper bag?" Elena asked him as she adjusted the car seat in her arms.

He nodded, opening and reaching in the backseat for the diaper bag. "You want me to take her?"

About 95% of Elena's wounds had healed . . . it was just the burns on her arms that hadn't quite healed.

"I'm fine," she assured him, sighing. "Let's just get this over with. Today Caroline needs us."

Stefan nodded as they crossed the parking lot and across the grass of the cemetery. They saw Bonnie and Jeremy with Jenna, Alaric, and Zoe and stood over by them. There were other people there to mourn the fallen Mayor – other Lockwood's including Carol, the other Founding families, and pretty much the rest of the town.

"Hey," Elena said. "Where's Caroline and Dillon?"

"Inside," Ric told her. "Talking to the minister."

"How is she?" Stefan asked.

"She's . . ." Bonnie sighed. "She's Caroline. She says she's okay but her face says differently. We tried to get her to let us take Dillon for today . . . but she said she was fine."

"She needs Dillon right now," Jenna said.

"Here she comes," Elena saw Caroline step out of the main building with Dillon on her hip. The boy was asleep, his head resting on his mother's shoulder.

"Guess its time for the funeral to start," Jeremy observed.

Stefan watched Caroline walk toward them. Dried tears stained her face. The whites of her eyes were tinged with red.

The minister followed closely behind her . . . and soon after the funeral began.

To Be Continued...

A.N. Sorry about the shortness...wasn't really feelin' it this chapter. I did really like the scene between Stefan and Katherine . . . that was one of my favorites. It seems like Katherine's sort of getting her humanity back, isn't she? Wonder where that'll take her . . . hmm...we'll see. And . . . poor Caroline. How do you guys feel about Tyler's exit? Where should I go with Caroline next? As I said last chapter, we're almost done with this one. I'm thinking part three will mostly be about Gabby and the challenges of raising a half-vampire child. We'll see . . . maybe one of you'll inspire a different route altogether.


	11. Epilogue: The Beginning Of Eternity

Love Is Not Time's Fool

A.N. So . . . this is the end. I haven't yet started part three, but hopefully it'll be soon. Let me know what you think, I'd like to know how you all feel about this chapter and what your thoughts are on what the next part should be.

Epilogue: The Beginning Of Eternity

It was the day that Gabrielle turned nine months old when she took her first steps. It was also that day that her Godmother announced that she was pregnant and her "aunt" made a rather startling conclusion.

The morning started out like any other. Elena awoke in Stefan's arms, roused by the cries of her daughter. She got up, put on her robe, and went to the nursery. Gabby was wide awake, crying. Probably hungry. Elena picked the toddler and her favorite toy up and took her downstairs.

She went into the kitchen only to find one of the other occupants of the Boarding House already awake and drinking a cup of coffee. "Good morning." Elena said cheerfully, setting Gabby down on the floor with her toy.

"If you say so," Katherine sighed. Five months earlier when Stefan and Elena had returned from Tyler's funeral, Katherine was sitting in their living room saying she had nowhere to go and if she promised not to eat or kill anyone – especially Gabby – could she stay. Stefan wanted to kill her on the spot but Elena – who'd seen how she was while they'd been in captivity –allowed it. So for now . . . she was Aunty Katherine.

"Someone's not in a good mood," Elena frowned, going about preparing Gabby's breakfast – graham crackers and milk.

"Your kid cries too much," Katherine sighed, yawning.

"Well . . . if it's too much to handle you could always go back to living in the tomb." Elena teased, shrugging. "I'm sure the dirt misses you."

Katherine gave her a look.

A giggle from the floor made Elena laugh. Gabby was was staring at Katherine and laughing. "Gabs agrees." Elena chuckled.

"That doesn't mean anything," Katherine said. "She always does that when she's around me. Never you. How can she tell us apart?"

"Kids are better judges of character than you think. Besides, I'm her mother," Elena finished making Gabby's breakfast. She went to the closet to get the high chair. When she came back . . . "Stefan!" She yelled.

Katherine scrunched her face, "What the hell are you yelling for?"

Elena leaned the high chair against the island and sped into the hall to get the camera. She sped back and turned on the camera. "Gabby . . . she's walking!"

Stefan appeared seconds later in just his sweats, a smile on his face as he watched his daughter walk across the kitchen floor. "Come here, Gabby!" He said. The little girl grinned from ear to ear, reaching out her arms and headed straight for her daddy. Elena recorded the whole thing, also with a wide smile.

Katherine watched the scene, the same strange feelings she'd been having in the last four months tugging at her insides. She left her coffee cup where it was and used her speed to race upstairs.

Stefan backed up, Gabby still walking toward him. Then he held on to her hands and turned her around. "Walk to momm, Gabby. Go, go on to mommy!"

Elena knelt down to the floor, tears of joy reaching her eyes. She held out one of her hands. "Come to Mommy baby!" Gabby giggled, padding toward her mother. Stefan took the camera from his wife and focused it on them as Gabrielle walked straight into her nother's waiting arms. Elena picked the little girl up and hugged her, kissing the top of her head. "Mommy's so proud of you!"  
"And Daddy is too," Stefan stopped the camera and set it down, going over to hug his girls. He kissed Elena on the lips and Gabby's cheeks and hugged them again.

"Um . . . I hate to interrupt the, um, grossness . . ."

Stefan and Elena looked over. Katherine stood in the doorway, the house phone in her hand.

"Bonnie's on the phone," Katherine held out the phone.

Elena handed Gabby to Stefan and went over to take the phone. She held it up to her ear. "Hey Bon, what's up?" Katherine disappeared up the stairs again.

"Elena!" Bonnie squealed, "Guess who's going to be an aunty!"

Elena broke out in a grin, "Oh my god, are you really?"

"I am!" Bonnie squealed again. "Jeremy and I are at the doctor's right now!"  
"Bonnie, I'm so happy for you . . ." Elena said. "You know what, you and my brother are coming over for dinner tonight. This is such an amazing day!"

"What else happened?" Bonnie said.

"Gabby took her first step . . ." Elena swelled with maternal pride.

"That's my girl!" Bonnie said. She spoke away from the phone. "Jer – your niece was walking!"

"That's awesome!" Elena heard her brother say . . . she could tell he was smiling.

"Tell me you got it on tape," Bonnie said to Elena.

"Yes I did," Elena nodded. "This is me we're talking about – who recorded everything in not only Gabby's life but Zoe and Dillon's too! And now I can with yours!"  
"You should have Jenna, Ric, and Caroline over too," Bonnie said.

"Yes, I should," Elena agreed. Then she frowned. "What about―"

"She's doing fine, Elena," Bonnie said. "Yes, Caroline lost her husband. But she's been better lately. She needs to be around her friends. She needs us."

"You're right," Elena said. "It just doesn't feel right that we're so happy and she's . . ."

"I know," Bonnie said. "Oh, Jer and I wanted to talk to you about something. Jeremy and I want to ask Caroline to be the baby's godmother."

"Oh," Elena said.

"It's just, I'm Gabby's godmother and you're both Dillon and Zoe's godmother . . ."

"You don't want her to feel left out," Elena nodded.

"It's not just that," Bonnie said. "Jer and I feel that if she's an important part of the baby's life it'll help her see there's something worth living for . . . you know? We think that the combination of that and helping her focus on Dillon will make her all that much better."

"That actually sounds amazing, Bonnie," Elena said. "I agree 100%"

"So you're okay with this?" Bonnie said.  
"I am," Elena nodded.

"Thanks, Elena," Bonnie said. Elena heard a door in the background. "The doctor's here . . . I'll see you later. Around seven?"

"Sounds good," Elena said. "And congratulations . . . give Jer a hug for me."

"Will do," Bonnie said. The two friends hung up.

Elena looked to Stefan, "Did you hear all that?"

Her husband nodded, smiling. "Gabby'll have a cousin."

Gabby, though, didn't seem impressed. The excitement of walking over, the nine-month-old resumed fussing.

"Oh crap," Elena said. "You never ate." She picked the toddler up from Stefan's arms. "Sorry baby, you distracted us with the walking. Let's have breakfast now."

TVDTVDTVDTVD

Meanwhile upstairs, Katherine padded down the hall – bored – deciding to wake Damon and bug him. Either that . . . or convince him to have sex with her. In the five months she'd only been successful with the bugging him part. He was too damn stubborn and too damn proud – and, well, too damn in love with Elena – to _do_ anything with her.

It was really starting to piss her off. And, damnit, she hadn't had sex with _anyone_ in over five _years_ and it was really starting to mess with her. It had just been too damn long.

As she reached Damon's room, however, she found herself out of luck – again. Her vampire hearing picked up the tell-tale moans and groans. She heard Damon's voice utter some intriguingly nasty things and another voice as well – a woman – as well. The woman's voice sound familiar – wait, wasn't it that reporter girl from the news? What was her name? Andie or something like that?

Katherine rolled her eyes, turned on the balls of her bare feet, and sulked to her room. On the way, she saw through a partially closed door as Stefan and Elena stood over the crib in the nursery. Stefan stood behind Elena, his arms wrapped lovingly around her waist. Elena was reaching over the side of the crib, stroking Gabrielle's temple. They were completely wrapped up in their own little world.

Katherine sighed, continuing to her room. After over 500 years, she still had nothing. Before she'd turned, she'd had nothing. No daughter, no more parents, no husband . . . and now she still had _nothing_. Just too many painful memories.

Stefan had a wife and daughter and Damon had his permanent bachelor ways . . . hell, even _Caroline_ had a son to take care of.

It was all to depressing for Katherine to stand. She'd never really been one to be maudlin . . . but she supposed five years of starvation and dessication would do that.

She was a selfish manipulative bitch – she knew that. It was a survival thing . . . but whatever. It had worked being on the run. It kept her alive. Honestly, if anyone thought they could survive by being nice and wholesome they weren't going too long. She'd like to see Elena run from Klaus for that long – hell, she'd barely made it a year.

She walked into her room and slumped on the bed, sighing. Over the past five months she'd had a lot of time to think about the things that happened when she'd been taken from the tomb. Watched Elena be tortured, holding the baby in her arms, watching Stefan, Elena, and Gabby . . . she felt, different. It was unexplainable. She was feeling things she hadn't felt since she was human. And honestly, it had all started in 1864 with Damon and Stefan.

Before them, men had been nothing to her as a vampire. They were just useful - for blood, for sex, for an escape if Klaus or Elijah was near. But the Salvatore brothers had sparked something in her. It wasn't much . . . but it was a start. Both of them had loved her with all they had. And while it was true she'd only used them in the past . . . it didn't mean she'd never cared about them. The 145 years on the run after faking her death . . . she supposed she started to feel but never paid any attention to it. She knew she at least liked the _idea_ of being in love with Stefan. She'd known that he would love her forever and she liked that.

But now that she thought about it, she supposed she had never been in love with him or Damon for that matter. Because the truth was that she'd forgotten how to truly love. It seemed, though – as much as she hated to admit it – that her humanity was starting to come back.

And she didn't know what to do.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"Gabby, no don't―"

The wails echoed through the house. Elena sighed, rushing to her daughter's side. She knelt on the carpeted floor, pulling Gabrielle into her lap as she sat on the floor. Fat tears rolled down the toddler's cheeks and Elena pulled her into a loving hug. "Silly girl . . . it hurts when you fall down."

Gabrielle's bottom lip stuck out, trembling as she cried. "M . . m . ." Gabby sputtered. She wasn't really talking yet, just repeating sounds.

"Mumma's right here, sweetie," Elena stood up, Gabrielle clinging to her torso. The toddler's face was buried in her mother's shoulder.

It was a week after Gabby's first steps. She walked whever she had the chance . . . but she was still clumsy and unbalanced and fell quite frequently.

And yet what surprised Elena and Stefan and even Damon, Katherine, and the others the most was that no matter how many times the small girl fell she never got a bruise or a cut or a scrape of any kind. Sure it hurt a little bit, but there was no mark.

It opened up new questions of Gabrielle's existence. Back when Elena had been pregnant and started displaying vampire quirks, Bonnie had looked into it and told them the baby would be half-vampire. At first they'd worried but when Gabby had been born a normal, healthy baby girl they hadn't thought much of it.

Now that she was a little older they'd begun to discover things. In her nine months of life she'd never bled or bruised and she'd never been sick with anything – not even the croup. No fevers, no earaches, no baby acne. Nothing. Gabby's doctor was amazed which worried Stefan and Elena. They wondered how long it would take before the outside world noticed that Gabrielle Olivia Salvatore was different.

Gabby's cries started to subside as Elena carried her into the living room and set her down in the playpen.

The front door opened and Katherine – carrying multiple shopping bags – walked into the Boarding House. Gabby giggled as Katherine walked through and Elena shook her head, sighing. She found it weird that her daughter found her 500 year old vampire ancestor amusing. Katherine smirked at the tyke, chuckling.

"Where's the boys?" Katherine said.

"Um . . . Stefan's at a meeting with his editor in Atlanta and Damon's out with Andie," Elena said. "Shopping, again?"

Katherine shrugged, setting her bags on the couch. "What else is there to do? When you're not running from a vengeful vampire, your options suddenly become boring."

Elena nodded, shaking her head. They'd explained the presence of an Elena-look-alike- running around town by saying that Katherine was her long-lost twin sister. Not surprisingly, the residents of Mystic Falls didn't think twice about it.

"You know, Katherine," Elena spoke cautiously, not wanting to piss the _much_ older vampire off. "Maybe you should find some kind of job or hobby even." Elena wasn't thinking about the money – between the Gilbert trust fund in her and Jer's names and the extensive Salvatore estate they were set for centuries. Literally. No . . . she was concerned about Katherine's tendency to feed and kill when she was bored. She'd been, well, better the last five months but as long as Katherine was in Mystic Falls Elena wanted it to stay that way.

Instead of getting angry, Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

Gabby started playing with her toy piano, banging on the plastic keys. Elena shrugged. "I dunno. It was just a suggestion."

Katherine seemed to ponder this, shrugging. She picked up her bags and sped up the stairs. Elena glanced at Gabby, convinced she was occupied, and dashed upstairs t grab her work briefcase.

When she'd turned, she'd decided to keep her job for a while. She and Stefan and talked about it even before they'd gotten married and they knew their time in Mystic Falls was limited. Soon people would notice that Stefan . . . and now Elena . . . did not look any older. Now Caroline with Dillon and Damon and probably Katherine would follow or go on their own.

She brought her briefcase downstairs and set out her work over the new coffee table and couch.

"Ba-ba . . ." Gabby babbled shouted out, now throwing the block across the playpen.

"Keep singin' Gabs," Elena smiled. "You'll be my little rockstar."

"Gah!" Gaby shouted, giggling.

"You just get more and more adorable every day, baby girl," Elena bent down to gently pat the tyke's head, kissed her cheek.

Gabby smiled, "Mmm..." She mumbled. She seemed to blab an "m" sound when Elena was around, and Elena loved it. She recognized Elena as someone important in her small life, even if she hadn't quite gotten far enough to "mom" or "mumma" or even "ma" yet. Similarly, when Stefan was around their daughter shouted out a "d" sound.

When Katherine was around, Gabby would just smile or laugh. Sometimes she even reached out her arms as if she wanted "aunty" to pick her up – not that she ever did or would. With Damon she also smiled – frequently. And just like most women around him, starved for his attention. Damon loved it, calling her a little flirt.

Undoubtedly, though, her aunt/godmother Bonnie was Gabby's favorite person besides her mom and dad. She'd even begun to call her "Bon" whenever she was around and Bonnie's maternal hormones were loving every minute of it.

Elena sat down on the couch, her legs crossed, and she grabbed a thick manuscript off the table. She picked up a pen, uncapping it. Then, she started reading, editing as she went.

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

"Honey, I'm home," Stefan opened the door, closing it behind him.

"In here," He heard Elena call out.

He also heard Gabby play and shout. "D-d . . ." Gabby giggled.

"Yeah, Daddy's home," Elena chuckled.

Stefan went into the living room, chuckling when he saw Elena's paperwork all over the table and couch. "Working hard?" He chuckled.

She shrugged, smiling as he walked over to her and bent down to kiss her. He moved a couple of papers aside and set down his bag, sitting next to her."How's Victor?" Elena asked of her editor and colleague.

"Good," Stefan told her. gHis wife got a promotion at work."

"She did?" Elena smiled. "That's awesome. He's mentioned that she was in the running for it."

"He asked about Gabs," He said., "Told him she's growing like a weed."

Elena nodded. "She fell again today . . . pretty hard too."

Stefan sighed, wincing, "Not a scratch?"

"Yep," Elena frowned. "Nothing. And she barely cried for two minutes."

He reached over, entwining his fingers with hers. He sighed again. "I know you probably don't wanna hear it, but we may have to move sooner than you want."

"But . . ." Elena sighed. "Bonnie's pregnant and . . . I'm gonna be an aunt . . . and Zoe's growing up . . ."

"I'm sorry, honey," Stefan picked up her hand and kissed it. "Sheriff Forbes has already been too close to figuring it out . . . if there's reports of Gabby falling and breaking for neck only to wake up fine . . . you know how it'll turn out."

Elena nodded, watching Gabby play. "The Council'll kill all of us and take Gabby and Dillon away, I know . . ." Years ago they'd decided to continue to keep Stefan, Damon, Caroline, Tyler, and Bonnie's true identities a secret from the Council – even from Sheriff Forbes and Carol Lockwood. And they'd almost been caught too many times already . . . Elena took a deep breath, sighing. "When?" It wasn't louder than a whisper.

"Um . . . maybe a couple of months," Stefan told her honestly. "A year is definitely too long."

They were quiet for a moment, fingers entwined, as they watched Gabby play.

"We should tell Jenna and Jeremy and the others," Elena sighed. She stretched out laying her head on Stefan's chest. "And we should figure out where we're gonna go . . ."

"We will," Stefan nodded, stroking her cheek.

"Stefan?" She looked up into his eyes.

"Yes, Elena?" He grazed his fingers on her lips.

"Can we come back, to visit?" Elena's voice was small. She knew that when you were a vampire all ties had to be cut with the human world . . . but did that mean she could never see her family again?

"Occasionally," He said. "It would have to be under the radar, though."

She nodded. "I understand." She sighed, feeling tears brim on her eyelids.

"Hey," He rested his hand under her chin, lifting her head up. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. gI promised you a life, Elena. I intend to keep that promise, for you and Gabrielle."

She sniffled. "You promise?"

"I promise," He bent down and kissed her. "For all eternity . . ."

The End

A.N. And . . . that's the end of the sequel to Fairy Godmother. What did you think? The Salvatore's have to leave Mystic Falls, Elena's a vampire, Gabby's showing supernatural qualities, Damon's not yet over Elena, Tyler's dead, and Katherine's showing her softer side. What will the next chapter of Stefan and Elena's lives bring?


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